Spatially Separating Redox Centers on Z-Scheme ZnIn₂ S₄ /BiVO₄ Hierarchical Heterostructure for Highly Efficient...

Photocatalysis technology using solar energy for hydrogen (H₂ ) production still faces great challenges to design and synthesize highly efficient photocatalysts, which should realize the precise regulation of reactive sites, rapid migration of photoinduced carriers and strong visible light harvest. Here, a facile hierarchical Z-scheme system with ZnIn₂ S₄ /BiVO₄ heterojunction is proposed, which can precisely regulate redox centers at the ZnIn₂ S₄ /BiVO₄ hetero-interface by accelerating the separation and migration of photoinduced charges, and then enhance the oxidation and reduction ability of holes and electrons, respectively. Therefore, the ZnIn₂ S₄ /BiVO₄ heterojunction exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance with a much higher H₂ -evolution rate of 5.944 mmol g^-1 h^-1 , which is about five times higher than that of pure ZnIn₂ S₄ . Moreover, this heterojunction shows good stability and recycle ability, providing a promising photocatalyst for efficient H₂ production and a new strategy for the manufacture of remarkable photocatalytic materials.