Spatially Decoupled S‐Scheme and Schottky Heterojunction in CeO 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 /WC for Synergistic Photocatalytic H 2 Evolution and Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation

ABSTRACT The dual‐utilization of photogenerated electrons and holes for concurrent energy production and biomass valorization represents a sustainable pathway for solar‐to‐chemical conversion, yet it remains challenging due to rapid charge recombination and the lack of spatially defined redox sites. Herein, we report a spatially decoupled ternary heterojunction, denoted as CeO 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 /WC (CZW), which integrates CeO 2 nanoparticles and WC nanoparticles onto ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets for photocatalytic H 2 evolution coupled with selective benzyl alcohol oxidation. This unique architecture integrates two distinct charge‐transfer pathways: an S‐scheme heterojunction between CeO 2 and ZnIn 2 S 4 , and a Schottky junction between ZnIn 2 S 4 and WC. The S‐scheme configuration preserves highly reductive electrons in ZnIn 2 S 4 and highly oxidative holes in CeO 2 , whereas the Schottky junction directionally extracts electrons to WC with Pt‐like properties. This dual‐path design not only achieves efficient spatial charge separation but also enables precise reaction site functionalization. Consequently, H 2 evolution selectively occurs on WC surfaces, whereas benzyl alcohol oxidation proceeds exclusively on CeO 2 valence bands, completely eliminating active site competition and suppressing reverse reactions. The optimized CZW heterojunction exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance without any noble metal or sacrificial agent, achieving an H 2 evolution rate of 28.4 mmol g −1 h −1 and a benzyl alcohol conversion rate of 99.9%. This work provides a blueprint for designing advanced photocatalytic systems through the synergistic integration of junction engineering and site‐specific functionalization for sustainable energy and chemical synthesis.

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Journal
EcoEnergy
Published
2026-11-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece2.70184
Primary Topic
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
Type
article
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0.00

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article

Spatially Decoupled S‐Scheme and Schottky Heterojunction in CeO 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 /WC for Synergistic Photocatalytic H 2 Evolution and Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation

Dongfang Hou, Xiu-Qing Qiao, Dong‐Sheng Li, Bojing Sun et al.
7 links
EcoEnergy
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
article

Spatially Decoupled S‐Scheme and Schottky Heterojunction in CeO 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 /WC for Synergistic Photocatalytic H 2 Evolution and Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation

Dongfang Hou, Xiu-Qing Qiao, Dong‐Sheng Li, Bojing Sun, Xiaojuan Li, Siyue Li, Shanshan Fan, Zhengnan Qin, Wenzhuo Ma
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT The dual‐utilization of photogenerated electrons and holes for concurrent energy production and biomass valorization represents a sustainable pathway for solar‐to‐chemical conversion, yet it remains challenging due to rapid charge recombination and the lack of spatially defined redox sites. Herein, we report a spatially decoupled ternary heterojunction, denoted as CeO 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 /WC (CZW), which integrates CeO 2 nanoparticles and WC nanoparticles onto ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets for photocatalytic H 2 evolution coupled with selective benzyl alcohol oxidation. This unique architecture integrates two distinct charge‐transfer pathways: an S‐scheme heterojunction between CeO 2 and ZnIn 2 S 4 , and a Schottky junction between ZnIn 2 S 4 and WC. The S‐scheme configuration preserves highly reductive electrons in ZnIn 2 S 4 and highly oxidative holes in CeO 2 , whereas the Schottky junction directionally extracts electrons to WC with Pt‐like properties. This dual‐path design not only achieves efficient spatial charge separation but also enables precise reaction site functionalization. Consequently, H 2 evolution selectively occurs on WC surfaces, whereas benzyl alcohol oxidation proceeds exclusively on CeO 2 valence bands, completely eliminating active site competition and suppressing reverse reactions. The optimized CZW heterojunction exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance without any noble metal or sacrificial agent, achieving an H 2 evolution rate of 28.4 mmol g −1 h −1 and a benzyl alcohol conversion rate of 99.9%. This work provides a blueprint for designing advanced photocatalytic systems through the synergistic integration of junction engineering and site‐specific functionalization for sustainable energy and chemical synthesis.

EcoEnergy
China Three Gorges University (CN), Huzhou College (CN), Hubei Three Gorges Laboratory (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 35%
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
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