Boosted photoinduced charge separation in FeNi2S4@Cd0.9Zn0.1S Step-scheme heterojunction for photothermal assisted photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen

Ping Su; Shikai Wang; Dong Zhang; Tengteng Liang; Huaihao Zhao; Nan Yang; Dafeng Zhang; Peiqing Cai; Xipeng Pu

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.120

Boosted photoinduced charge separation in FeNi₂S₄@Cd_0.9Zn_0.1S Step-scheme heterojunction for photothermal assisted photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2024 Nov 20;680(Pt B):529-540. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.120. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ping Su¹, Shikai Wang¹, Dong Zhang², Tengteng Liang¹, Huaihao Zhao¹, Nan Yang¹, Dafeng Zhang³, Peiqing Cai⁴, Xipeng Pu⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Energy Storage and Novel Cell Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, PR China.
² School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Communication Science and Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, PR China.
³ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Energy Storage and Novel Cell Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, PR China. Electronic address: dafengzh@hotmail.com.
⁴ College of Optical and Electronic Technology, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, PR China.
⁵ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Energy Storage and Novel Cell Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, PR China. Electronic address: xipengpu@hotmail.com.

PMID: 39579420
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.120

Abstract

Rational design of photocatalysts with photothermal effect to maximize light utilization is pivotal in achieving superior photocatalytic efficiency. In this work, by coating Cd_0.9Zn_0.1S (CZS) nanorods on hollow FeNi₂S₄ (FNS) microspheres with photothermal effect, a novel FeNi₂S₄@Cd_0.9Zn_0.1S (FNS@CZS) Step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction photocatalyst was constructed for efficient photothermal-assisted hydrogen (H₂) evolution via simultaneously employing light and thermal energy. The hollow structure of FNS microsphere not only provides abundant reactive sites but also serves as a supportive substrate for CZS nanorods, effectively inhibiting their agglomeration. And the unique hollow structure of FNS allows for multiple reflections and refractions of visible light, enhancing the local temperature of the photocatalyst. This effectively minimizes thermal losses within the composite system, thereby enhancing the efficiency of light energy utilization. Furthermore, the formation of the S-scheme heterojunction facilitates the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers and enhances the activity of redox reactions, thereby boosting the overall photocatalytic activity. Experimental results reveal that the H₂ production rate of the FNS@CZS heterojunction reaches 12.9 mmol·g^-1·h^-1, which is 25.1 times higher than that of pristine CZS. By controlling the experimental temperature, the impact of the photothermal effect on the photocatalytic H₂ production rate has been clarified. According to relevant evidence from infrared thermography and DFT calculations, comprehensive analyses and discussions were conducted on the photothermal effect and S-scheme charge transfer mechanisms. This study offers guidance on designing photothermal-enhanced photocatalysts to achieve satisfactory H₂ production activity.

Keywords: Hydrogen; Photocatalysis; Photothermal; S-scheme.