Fabrication of In-doped CdSe/Zn3In2S6 type II heterojunction composite for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Conversion of water into renewable hydrogen energy using solar energy is one of the ideal methods to address the current environmental pollution and increasing energy demand. Thus developing the photocatalyst with high efficiency, stability, and a low electron-hole recombination rate becomes very important. In this paper, Zn3In2S6 microspheres were synthesized by hydrothermal method, and then In-doped CdSe nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of Zn3In2S6 microspheres to form Cd0.9In0.1Se/Zn3In2S6 type II heterojunction. Under simulated sunlight irradiation, the photocatalytic hydrogen production of Cd0.9In0.1Se/Zn3In2S6 reached 11.41 mmol h−1 g−1, which was 4.61 times and 1.97 times that of Cd0.9In0.1Se and Zn3In2S6, respectively. The experimental results showed that the formation of type II heterojunction could improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency by shortening the charge transport distance and inhibiting the recombination of electron-hole pairs. This work will provide new ideas and insights for the development of photocatalytic hydrogen production technology.