0D/3D ZnIn2S4/NiCo2O4 heterojunction for efficient visible light hydrogen production

The exceptional photocatalytic H 2 production capacity of metal sulfides has garnered considerable attention within the scientific community. However, the issue of photocorrosion represents a significant obstacle to their industrial deployment. Consequently, the prevention of photocorrosion represents a pivotal challenge for the industrial deployment of metal sulfide catalysts. In this study, the synthesis of ZnIn 2 S 4 /NiCo 2 O 4 catalysts was successfully completed, and they exhibited satisfactory hydrogen evolution performance. The incorporation of 7 % NiCo 2 O 4 into the catalyst led to a noteworthy maximum photocatalytic H 2 generation rate of 4.73 μmol h −1 g −1 , which exhibited a considerable 4.11-fold improvement in performance compared to that of pure ZnIn 2 S 4 . The high photocatalytic activity was maintained throughout four experimental cycles. The findings suggest that the heterostructure formed by ZnIn 2 S 4 and NiCo 2 O 4 enhances the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and improves the H 2 generation capacity and stability of the catalyst. This ZnIn 2 S 4 /NiCo 2 O 4 composite photocatalyst exhibits a high response to visible light, superior photochemical stability, and a broad range of applications in solar photocatalytic hydrogen production from water decomposition. • ZIS/NCO improves electron-hole separation efficiency and spectral response range. • The photocatalytic H 2 production reached 4.73 mmol g −1 h −1 , which is 4.11 times that of pure ZIS (1.15 mmol g −1 h −1 ). • A new heterojunction system has been designed. • Non-susceptible to photo-corrosion, stable performance in cyclic tests.