ZIF-67-derived flower-like ZnIn2S4@CoS2 heterostructures for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Abstract

Photocatalytic hydrogen production using renewable energy sources is promising as a new method of energy supply. Research on photocatalytic materials has received increasing attention. In this work, efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production was achieved by using ZnIn₂S₄@CoS₂ heterostructures as photocatalysts. The heterostructures were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method using ZIF-67 derived Co₃O₄ as a precursor. ZIF-67 derived Co₃O₄ inherits the dodecahedral structure of ZIF-67. ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheets uniformly grew on the surface of CoS₂, which is prepared from Co₃O₄. The heterostructures achieved a high hydrogen production rate, about 3.2 times higher than that of pristine ZnIn₂S₄ under simulated sunlight. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the faster electron transfer and more efficient electron–hole pair separation, which are formed in the heterostructure at the interface between CoS₂ and ZnIn₂S₄. This study provides a strategy for noble metal-free photocatalytic hydrogen production using heterostructures.