Charge Transfer Channel Research Articles

Highly photosensitive CsPbBr[formula omitted] NCs-graphene phototransistor with memory function

A high-performance Violet-light phototransistor with memory function was fabricated using CsPbBr3 nanocrystals as light absorption material, graphene as fast charge transfer channel, and graphene oxide as charge storage medium. The device demonstrated a responsivity of 2 × 103 A/W and a detectivity of 2.3 × 1012 Jones under illumination of a 405 nm laser. Moreover, the phototransistor showed an excellent photoswitching stability and a high response speed with the rise/decay times of 93/31 ms, respectively. The photoresponse mechanism was discussed using a charge injection model in an energy band diagram of CsPbBr 3 NCs and graphene interface. In addition, the device exhibited charge storage capabilities with a memory window of about 0.4 V attributed to graphene oxide as trapping layer. This work provides a viable route to fabricate phototransistors with storage capabilities.

Research on synthesis of Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite and trimethylamine gas sensing properties

Aquatic products contain an incredibly high nutritional value for the human body and gradually become indispensable ingredients on the Chinese table. Trimethylamine (TMA) from the deterioration of aquatic products can serve as an indicator to measure fish freshness. It is a challenge to develop an instant, fast, convenient, and efficient gas sensor for fish freshness. In this study, a novel Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> composite gas sensing material is prepared by introducing Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub> nanoparticles on the surface of MoO<sub>3</sub> nanobelts. The results of SEM and TEM images show that the Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub> nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed. Then, the TMA sensing performance of a resistance-type gas sensor based the prepared Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> composite is tested at optimal operating temperature (240 °C). the results show that the sensor possesses good response (13.9) at low concentration (5×10<sup>–6</sup>), with excellent low detection limit (2×10<sup>–7</sup>). The response time is also significantly shortened. The high sensing performance of Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> composite is attributed to the heterojunction interface, which promotes the separation of electrons from holes through its strong oxygen adsorption and catalytic effect. This significantly improves the electron transport properties and gas sensing characteristics of the composite material. Electrons flow from MoO<sub>3</sub> nanoribbons to Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>, and the Fermi level reaches equilibrium. This process results in the formation of an electron loss layer underneath MoO<sub>3</sub>, and the charge transfer channel narrows, which is consistent with previous result. When trimethylamine dissociates on the nanoribbons to release electrons, the balance of the fermi lever is disrupted, and electrons flow from MoO<sub>3</sub> to Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>. As a result, the charge transfer channel becomes thinner, resulting in resistance modulation and increased sensitivity. In addition, the enhancement of trimethylamine sensing performance of Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> nanocomposite can be explained by the enhancement of gas adsorption and diffusion: MoO<sub>3</sub> nanoribbons as a skeleton can effectively disperse Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub> particles and increase the adsorption capacity of gas molecules. And the enhanced response of Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>/MoO<sub>3</sub> may be due to the good catalytic effect of Cu<sub>3</sub>Mo<sub>2</sub>O<sub>9</sub>, which is conducive to oxygen adsorption. This work provides a new strategy for preparing high-performance MoO<sub>3</sub>-based gas sensing materials.

Новый фотоанод на основе иерархически структурированного двойного оксида Ti–P

A new electricity source is a hot topic for material scientist working for the development of a new reliable, stable and green generation of energy. An exponential growth of the energy consumption in the last few decades raised the concerns about limitations of the conventional energy supply, let alone ecological problems. A considerable effort has been made by scientific community to meet the challenge of the efficient conversion of the sunlight to the electricity. Widespread application of the photovoltaic panels lowered the greenhouse burden in developed countries. Simultaneously, a significant momentum was given to the so-called 3rd generation photovoltaics, based on the highly efficient organic dyes, deposited on the photoanodes. Such photoanodes must meet a set of requirements: high porosity, for increased deposition of the organic dye, and a developed network of the charge draining channels for efficient charge transfer to the photoanode. An emergence of a novel hierarchically structured materials helped to meet abovementioned demands and created a solid ground for advanced photovoltaics. In this work, we test a novel hierarchically structured Ti–P double oxide as a dye-deposition substrate for photoanode as a perspective material for 3rd generation of photovoltaics. Preliminary results prove novel structures are efficient, yet need practical modifications.

Fe, Co-codoped layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays derived from zeolitic imidazolate frameworks for high-performance aqueous hybrid supercapacitors and Zn-Ni batteries.

In the past decade, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have attracted great attention in the field of energy storage owing to their excellent two-dimensional (2D) hydrotalcite-like structure, highly reversible redox kinetics, and adjustable composition. At the same time, nanomaterials constructed by ultrathin nanosheets have enhanced conductivity, rich electrochemical active sites and fast charge transfer channels, showing better electrochemical properties. Herein, we designed three-dimensional (3D) NiFeCo LDH vertical nanosheet arrays (denoted NiFeCo-LDH NA) assembled by the tight interconnection of 2D nanosheets using a Ni-coordinated zeolitic imidazolate framework (Ni-ZIF-L) as a sacrificial template via facile ion exchange and etching reaction processes under hydrothermal conditions. The appropriate doping ratio of iron and cobalt ions is regulated. Electrochemical tests show that the NiFeCo LDH NA-based electrode shows a high specific capacity of 1495C g-1 at 1 A g-1 and has great cycling stability (89% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles). The assembled hybrid supercapacitor (NiFeCo LDH NA//AC) achieves a fine energy density of 34.4Whkg-1 at a power density of 935.5Wkg-1 with good cycling stability of over a 96% retention rate (compared with the initial capacitance) and outstanding coulombic efficiency (nearly 99%) after 15,000 cycles. The constructed aqueous Zn-Ni battery (NiFeCo LDH NA//Zn) exhibits a remarkable specific capacity of 272mAhg-1 at 3 A g-1 with a high energy density of 464.7Whkg-1 and retains 81% of the initial specific capacity after 2000 cycles at 20 A g-1. This work not only proves that ternary LDHs can be used as good energy storage materials but also provides a new way to prepare nanomaterials with specific morphology.

Design strategy of infrared 4-hydroxybenzylidene-imidazolinone-type chromophores based on intramolecular charge transfer: A theoretical perspective

Partial genetically encoded 4-hydroxybenzylidene-imidazolinone (HBI)-type chromophores are new promising fluorescent probes, which are suitable for imaging and detection of living cells. However, the lack of infrared chromophores hinders the development seriously. Here more than 30 HBI-type chromophores with regular structure modifications were employed and typical spectral redshift change laws and mechanisms were investigated by quantum methods. Results show that both one-photon spectrum (OPS, absorption/emission) and two-photon absorption (TPA) can achieve large redshift via either extending conjugated lengths of frag-3 or enlarging conjugated areas of frag-1 of HBI skeleton. Spectral redshifts of all chromophores are highly related to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), but neutral ones are closely related to the total ICT or electron-accepting-numbers of frag-3, and the high correlative factor of anions is the aromaticity of frag-2 bridge. The frag-2 bridge with high aromaticity can open a reverse charge transfer channel in anion relative to neutral, obtaining significant redshift. Based on analysis, a new 6-hydroxyl-naphthalene-imidazolinone (HNI) series, which have larger conjugated area in frag-1, are predicted. The OPS and TPA of anionic HNI ones acquire about 76–96 nm and 119–146 nm red-shift relative to traditional HBI series respectively as a whole. The longest emission of anionic HNI-4 realizes more 244 nm redshift relative to HBI-1. Our work clarifies worthy spectral regularities and redshift mechanisms of HBI-type chromophores and provides valuable design strategy for infrared chromophores synthesis in experiment.

Optimization of h-BN/Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>O heterostructure by high temperature annealing and its surface-enhanced Raman scattering performance

As a commonly used food additive, synthetic dyes are widely used in foods such as beverages, sweets and dairy products, and in the food processing process. Excessive use of synthetic dyes may induce cell mutations, children’s hyperactivity, genetic diseases and even cancer, which greatly threatens human health. As a fast, cheap, stable, ultra-sensitive and accurate detection method, SERS detection can reflect rich information about molecular fingerprint through the vibration of the analyte, and accurately determine the trace quantity of synthetic dyes in the actual environment. The metal/semiconductor heterostructure formed by the combination of plasmon metal and semiconductor is advantageous for the enhancement of photoinduced charge transfer (PICT) efficiency, and has obvious advantages in the study of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. In this work, the prepared hybrid substrate is annealed to further improve the surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity. Initially, high-density and monodisperse silver/silver oxide (Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>O) nanoparticles are loaded onto two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets. On this basis, by annealing the system at high temperature, an efficient charge transfer channel is constructed, which greatly improves the PICT efficiency and chemical enhancement (CM). It is confirmed experimentally that the SERS signal intensity of h-BN/Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>O material annealed at 320 ℃ with crystal violet (CV) as probe molecule is significantly increased 18 times compared with that of unannealed material, enhancement factor (EF) reaches 16.3145 ×10<sup>7</sup>. Finally, based on the excellent SERS property of h-BN/Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>O annealed at 320 ℃, the SERS detection of food additive Patent Blue V (PBV) is conducted in this work. The results show that the lowest detection concentration can reach 10<sup>–12</sup> M, and the trace detection of synthetic dye PBV is realized. It has excellent spatial uniformity and anti-interference capability, which is of great significance in implementing the actual scene detection of PBV. The h-BN/Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>O annealed at 320 ℃, the composite which is constructed in this paper, has both physical enhancement and chemical enhancement, and possess significant advantages in ultra-low sensitive SERS detection of food additives.

Anchoring 0D Cd0.5Zn0.5S nanoparticles on a 3D porous N-doped Ti3C2Tx MXene matrix for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The accessibility of photogenerated charge transfer channels and the activity of catalytic reaction sites are critical for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Cl@Si20X20 cages: evaluation of encapsulation nature, structural rigidity, and 29Si-NMR patterns using relativistic DFT calculations.

The experimental characterization of Cl@Si20 endohedral clusters, featuring different ligands such as [Cl@Si20H20]- (1) [Cl@Si20H12Cl8]- (2), and [Cl@Si20Cl20]- (3), provides insight into the variable encapsulation environment for chloride anions. The favorable formation of such species enables the evaluation of the encapsulation nature and the role of the inner anion in the rigidity of the overall cluster. Our results show a sizable interaction which increases as -66.7, -100.8, and -130.3 kcal mol-1 from 1 to 3, respectively, featuring electrostatic character. The orbital interaction involves 3p-Cl → Si20X20 and 3s-Cl → Si20X20 charge transfer channels and a slight contribution from London dispersion-type interactions. These results show that the inner bonding environment can be modified by the choice of exobonded ligands. Moreover, 29Si-NMR parameters are depicted in terms of the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA), leading to a strong variation of the three principal tensor components (δ11, δ22, δ33), unraveling the origin of the experimental 29Si-NMR chemical shift (δiso) differences along the given series. Thus, the Si20 cage is a useful template to further evaluate different environments for encapsulating atomic species.

Chrysanthemum-like spinel nanomaterials assembled with bundled nanowires as an efficient catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction

Spinel oxides are mounted on nickel foam to form chrysanthemum-like crystal structures assembled from nanowires. The as-synthesized CuCo2O4–Co3O4/NF shows a high surface area, a large number of mesoporous structures and excellent charge transfer channels.

Self-assembled A-D-A type indacenodithiophene-based small conjugated molecule/TiO2 for enhancing the photocatalytic activity.

Herein, A-D-A type indacenodithiophene-based small conjugated molecule IDT-COOH and IDT-COOH/TiO2 photocatalysts with stable non-covalent bonding have been successfully synthesized via in situ electrostatic assembly. The self-assembled three-dimensional π-conjugation structure IDT-COOH with high crystallinity not only broadens the visible absorption to produce more photogenerated carriers but also provides directional charge-transfer channels to accelerate the charge mobility. Thus, 7 log inactivation of S. aureus in 2 h and 92.5% decomposition of TC in 4 h under visible light exposure are achieved for optimized 30% IDT-COOH/TiO2. The dynamic constants (k) of S. aureus disinfection and TC degradation for 30% IDT-COOH/TiO2 are 3.69 and 2.45 times compared to those of self-assembled IDT-COOH, respectively. The notable inactivation performance is among the best reported for conjugated semiconductor/TiO2 photocatalysts for photocatalytic sterilization. ˙O2-, e- and ˙OH are the primary reactive species in the photocatalytic process. The strong interfacial interaction between TiO2 and IDT-COOH is in favour of rapid charge transfer, which leads to enhanced photocatalytic performance. This work offers a feasible method to fabricate TiO2-based photocatalytic agents with a wide visible light response and improved exciton dissociation.

Interfacial engineering of N, S-doped Mo2C-Mo/C heterogeneous nanorods for enhanced alkaline hydrogen evolution

Interfacial engineering of cost-effective non-noble materials is attractive for synthesizing advanced electrocatalysts toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we prepare N, S-doped Mo2C-Mo/C heterogeneous nanorods (NSMB-1.25) with abundant active heterointerfaces and defect sites via in situ polymerization and carburization strategy. The polyaniline-derived heteroatom-doped carbon acts not only as a matrix but also as a carbon source for Mo2C formation. The phase transition of Mo2C-Mo heterostructure is accurately regulated by delicately varying the dosage of the polymerization initiator and calcine temperature. The synergistic effects of Mo2C, metallic Mo and N, S doping carbon significantly enhance the HER activity and durability of nanorods. Benefiting from the plentiful active sites of the Mo2C-Mo heterointerfaces, fast charge and mass transfer channels, heteroatomic doping and large surface area, the as-prepared NSMB-1.25 nanorods deliver only 118 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 current density, small Tafel slopes of 74 mV dec-1, high exchange current density of 25.84 × 10-2 mA cm−2 and excellent stability in 1.0 M KOH solution. This work may support a feasible strategy for reasonably designing highly active heterogeneous interfaces to achieve efficient energy conversion and storage.

Co@ZIF‐8/TiO2 heterojunction for green hydrogen generation

A wet‐incipient impregnation method was reported to synthesize hierarchical porous bimetallic (Co, Zn)‐zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF‐8)/TiO2 (Co@ZIF‐8/TiO2) for green hydrogen generation via photocatalytic water splitting. Co@ZIF‐8/TiO2 showed higher photocatalytic efficiency than TiO2, with a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 13 mmol·h−1·g−1 with a 151‐fold increase in the catalytic performance of TiO2. The photocatalytic HGR of Co@ZIF‐8/TiO2 was superior to that of the ZIF‐8/TiO2 heterostructure. Co@ZIF‐8 showed a hierarchical porous structure containing micropores and mesopores regimes, providing a proficient transport channel for charge transfer. This study presents new prospects for using hierarchical porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as support and promoter in photocatalytic applications of semiconductor such as TiO2.

Au@Pt nanoparticles modified classical CdS nanorods for synergistically utilizing photoexcited charges in coupled selective organic transformations

The photocatalyst construction determines the cost and photoexcited charge kinetics, whereas reaction system design ensures the synergic utilization of photoexcited charges. Herein, a novel Au13@Pt/CdS hybrid nanomaterial was prepared and used for the coupling selective redox system of aromatic alcohols and nitroarenes. The Au13@Pt nanoparticles evenly and tightly anchored on CdS provided abundant e– enrichment sites and wider charge transfer channels and largely improved photocatalytic performance. After 4 h visible-light illumination (λ > 420 nm), the optimal 0.00115 % Au13@Pt/CdS sample displays that the theoretical yields of aniline (AL) and p-methoxybenzaldehyde (p-MBA) are up to 71.5 % and 94.7 % with an impressive selectivity of over 95 %, therefore, parts of the generated AL and p-MBA further formed Schiff base with a 24.3 % yield. Therefore, this work is expected to offer a way to fabricate a dual-functional photocatalyst for selective organic transformations (P-SOTs). A coupling mechanism of simultaneous SO p-MBA and SR of NB in one system was proposed by a series of physical and chemical characterizations combined with in suit DRIFTS and theoretical calculations.

Covalency dominating Z-scheme perylene-dicarboximide@ZnIn2S4 organic-inorganic hybrids for overall water splitting

Exploring covalent coupling organic-inorganic hybrids (OIHs) is of great significance for improving photocatalysis. Herein, ZnIn2S4 nanosheets are anchored at the surface of high crystalline perylene-dicarboximide (HC-PDI) nanorods, generating Z-scheme HC-PDI@ZnIn2S4 (HPZ) OIHs for efficient overall water splitting (OWS). The unique hierarchical branching heterostructure of HPZ nanohybrids improve the specific surface area, pore diameter, pore volume, and visible-light-harvesting ability, which provides the basis for photocatalytic reaction. The strong covalent connection between HC-PDI and ZnIn2S4 provides a fast channel for charge transfer. Simulated calculation and in-situ analysis collectively prove that the unique electron transfers of hybridization and photoexcitation bring about (−)HC-PDI@(+)ZnIn2S4 internal interfacial electric field and Z-scheme heterojunction, respectively, further resulting in the transfer of water oxidation in ZnIn2S4 and the high-efficiency separation of photoexcited charges in the system. The optimized HPZ nanohybrid exhibit boosted visible-light-driven OWS activity (275.4 μmol g−1 h−1 for H2 evolution and 138.4 μmol g−1 h−1 for O2 evolution) and remarkable stability (40 h). This covalency dominating OIHs approach advances the exploration of OWS photocatalysts.

Building rapid charge transfer channel via engineering Ni coordinated flexible polymer for efficient solar hydrogen evolution

Building rapid charge transfer channel from photocatalysts to cocatalysts can greatly improve the photocatalytic performance, yet remains a grand challenge. In this work, a flexible polymer engineering strategy was utilized to fabricate a homogeneous conductive N-doped carbon (NC) layer between CdS photo-absorber and surface NiO cocatalyst. The detailed formation procedure of NC layers was unraveled by a series of in-situ and ex-situ temperature-dependent analysis. Such a bifunctional layer can serve as not only a rapid charge transfer channel for photo-induced charge carriers, but also modulate the adsorption of H on NiO cocatalyst for concertedly boosting solar hydrogen production performance (101.92 mmol h−1 g−1). The DFT calculation together with SI-XPS, PL, TRPL, EIS and photocurrent plots indicated that the generated built-in electric field with the direction from NiO nanoparticles to NC layers could accelerate the excited electrons transfer to active sites. Furthermore, the adsorption and desorption energy of hydrogen on NiO nanoparticles was also optimized by the NC layers, as verified by DFT calculation. This work provides new insights into interfacial engineering between catalysts and cocatalysts for highly efficient photocatalysis.

Novel Ni3S4/NiS/NC composite with multiple heterojunctions synthesized through space-confined effect for high-performance supercapacitors

The construction of heterojunctions in composite materials to optimize the electronic structures and active sites of energy materials is considered to be the promising strategy for the fabrication of high-performance electrochemical energy devices. In this paper, a one-step, easy processing and cost-effective technique for generating composite materials with heterojunctions was successfully developed. The composite containing Ni3S4, NiS, and N-doped amorphous carbon (abbreviated as Ni3S4/NiS/NC) with multiple heterojunction nanosheets are synthesized via the space-confined effect of molten salt interface of recrystallized NaCl. Several lattice matching forms of Ni3S4 with cubic structure and NiS with hexagonal structure are confirmed by the detailed characterization of heterogeneous interfaces. The C–S bonds are the key factor in realizing the chemical coupling between nickel sulfide and NC and constructing the stable heterojunction. Density functional theory calculations further revealed that the electronic interaction on the heterogeneous interface of Ni3S4/NiS can contribute to high electronic conductivity. The heterogeneous interfaces are identified to be the good electroactive region with excellent electrochemical performance. The synergistic effect of abundant active sites, the enhanced kinetic process and valid interface charge transfer channels of Ni3S4/NiS/NC multiple heterojunction can guarantee high reversible redox activity and high structural stability, resulting in both high specific capacitance and energy/power densities when it is used as the electrode for supercapacitors. This work offers a new avenue for the rational design of the heterojunction materials with improved electrochemical performance through space-confined effect of NaCl.

Improving the Stability of Halide Perovskite Solar Cells Using Nanoparticles of Tungsten Disulfide.

Halide perovskites-based solar cells are drawing significant attention due to their high efficiency, versatility, and affordable processing. Hence, halide perovskite solar cells have great potential to be commercialized. However, the halide perovskites (HPs) are not stable in an ambient environment. Thus, the instability of the perovskite is an essential issue that needs to be addressed to allow its rapid commercialization. In this work, WS2 nanoparticles (NPs) are successfully implemented on methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) based halide perovskite solar cells. The main role of the WS2 NPs in the halide perovskite solar cells is as stabilizing agent. Here the WS2 NPs act as heat dissipater and charge transfer channels, thus allowing an effective charge separation. The electron extraction by the WS2 NPs from the adjacent MAPbI3 is efficient and results in a higher current density. In addition, the structural analysis of the MAPbI3 films indicates that the WS2 NPs act as nucleation sites, thus promoting the formation of larger grains of MAPbI3. Remarkably, the absorption and shelf life of the MAPbI3 layers have increased by 1.7 and 4.5-fold, respectively. Our results demonstrate a significant improvement in stability and solar cell characteristics. This paves the way for the long-term stabilization of HPs solar cells by the implementation of WS2 NPs.

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Modulating charge transfer by constructing high‐quality interfacial contacts and charge transfer channel is crucial for an efficient photocatalyst. In this work, a novel PCN/Cu3P nanosheet with intimate 2D/2D heterojunction was prepared via in‐situ phosphorization. Boosted photocatalytic H2 evolution was achieved due to the smooth charge transfer in the 2D/2D heterojunction. More details are discussed in the article by Liu et al. on page 173—180.image

Carbon quantum dots-doped g-C3N4 nanocomposites with enhanced piezoelectric catalytic performance

Construction of charge transfer channel is a feasible way to enhance efficiency in catalysis applications. In this study, hydrothermally synthesized carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were deposited on g-C3N4 nanosheets via the coprecipitation calcination method to couple the piezoelectrical nature of g-C3N4 with the prominent charge transfer capability of CQDs, resulting in enhanced piezo-catalytic performance of the CQDs/g-C3N4 nanocomposites. Specifically, a 92.5% methylene blue degradation rate was achieved after constant stirring of the methylene blue (MB) solution in the presence of 50 mg CQDs/g-C3N4 for 30 min. As evidenced by electron density difference, the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as the main mechanism for dye degradation was due to the enhanced surface area and increased number of reactive sites along with the existence of charge transfer channel, which was responsible for the dye degradation. Coupling CQDs with g-C3N4 nanosheets provides a new strategy of the construction of carbon-based nanocomposites towards promising piezo-catalytic applications. It also provides a new perspective for wastewater treatment on the dark environment.

A novel direct Z-scheme heterojunction of CoTiO3/ZnIn2S4 for enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity

The shortage of fossil energy has become a growing global concern. It is particularly important to make full use of the infinite solar energy resources, and transform them into sustainable and clean energy. The development of hydrogen energy has become a feasible solution to solve the energy shortage problem. The preparation of photocatalysts featuring efficient charge transfer channels and high hydrogen production activity provides a pathway for the development of hydrogen energy. In this paper, we report for the first time the direct assembly of 2D ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanosheets on the surface of CoTiO3 (CTO). The synthesized CoTiO3/ZnIn2S4 (CTO/ZIS) photocatalyst features a direct Z-scheme charge transfer channel, which enhances the separation rate of photogenerated carriers, and accelerates the photocatalytic H2 evolution (PHE) rate. Without the assistance of any co-catalyst, the PHE rate of prepared CoTiO3/ZnIn2S4 was as high as 5.21 mmol g−1 h−1. Moreover, the H2 evolution rate of CoTiO3/ZnIn2S4 almost did not decrease significantly after four consecutive 4 h cycles. This investigation provides a valuable approach for the exploitation of novel and efficient Z-scheme photocatalysts in the application of solar energy to hydrogen energy conversion.