Fabricating 1D/2D Co3O4/ZnIn2S4 core–shell heterostructures with boosted charge transfer for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Abstract

Multidimensional hierarchical hollow Co3O4/ZnIn2S4 tubular core–shell heterostructures were prepared by growing ultrathin two-dimensional ZnIn2S4 nanosheets on one-dimensional hollow Co3O4 nanotubes by a simple solvothermal method. The design of this multidimensional hollow core–shell heterostructure not only avoids the self-assembly aggregation of ZnIn2S4 nanosheets but also broadens their light-absorption range and improves the utilization of visible light. The internal electric field formed by the p–n heterojunction in the photocatalyst can promote the separation and migration of photogenerated e− and h+ species, and therefore the recombination of photogenerated carriers can be effectively suppressed.