Anchoring highly-dispersed ZnCdS nanoparticles on NiCo Prussian blue Analogue-derived cubic-like NiCoP forms an S-scheme heterojunction for improved hydrogen evolution

Abstract

This study used a facile hydrothermal technique to obtain a novel ZnCdS/NiCoP S-scheme heterojunction for highly photocatalytic H2 generation, Notably, phosphatization was used to derive the cubic NiCoP from a Prussian blue analog ZnCdS nanoparticles are simple to disperse on the surface because NiCoP has a cubic characteristic, which easily transfers interface charges, and consequently accelerates surface reaction kinetics. Furthermore, the ZnCdS/NiCoP-3% composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic H2 generation performance of 582.98 µmol with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 7.93% at 450 nm in the lactic acid aqueous solution, which is approximately 4.16 and 500-fold higher than that of the pure ZnCdS and NiCoP, respectively. Additionally, outstanding photostability was achieved after 20h of the four cycling experiments. Consequently, the peachy photocatalytic hydrogen evolution can be imputed for establishing S-scheme heterojunction, maintaining doughty redox capacity and achieving spatial separation of charges, thereby vastly restraining the fast recombination of photoexcitation. Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and hydroxyl radical (OH) capture experiments further proved the S-scheme mechanism. Therefore, this study provides a neoteric perspective establishing S-scheme photocatalytic systems for solar energy conversion.