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Switching Type-II to S-scheme Charge Transfer Through Fermi Level Modulation.

Fang Li1,2, Peng Zhou3, Jinfeng Zhang4

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Film and Integrated Devices, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, P. R. China.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
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Summary

Researchers engineered a ZnxCd2-xS2-crystalline carbon nitride heterojunction, switching electron transfer from Type-II to S-scheme. This enhanced CO2 photoreduction by four times, boosting photocatalysis efficiency.

Keywords:
S‐scheme electron transferType‐II electron transfercharge carrier dynamicsenergy band bendingfermi level modulation

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Photocatalysis
  • Surface Chemistry

Background:

  • Efficient charge separation is key for semiconductor photocatalysis.
  • Controlling interfacial electron transfer (Type-II vs. S-scheme) is challenging.
  • Fermi level modulation offers a route to tune interfacial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To selectively switch electron transfer from Type-II to S-scheme in a ZnxCd2-xS2-CN heterojunction.
  • To investigate the mechanism of this interfacial charge transfer switch.
  • To evaluate the impact on CO2 photoreduction activity.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of ZnxCd2-xS2-CN heterojunctions.
  • Fermi level modulation for interfacial control.
  • Advanced scanning probe microscopy and in situ photoemission spectroscopy.
  • In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with metal probes.
  • Measurement of CO2 photoreduction rates.

Main Results:

  • Successfully constructed a ZnxCd2-xS2-CN heterojunction with a "directional valve" for electron transfer.
  • Direct experimental observation of the switch from Type-II to S-scheme charge transfer dynamics.
  • Demonstrated enhanced CO2 photoreduction activity (four times higher) with S-scheme transfer.
  • Corroborated findings with illumination-induced surface potential shifts.

Conclusions:

  • Fermi level modulation provides a strategy to control interfacial charge transfer pathways.
  • The S-scheme heterojunction significantly enhances photocatalytic CO2 reduction.
  • This work offers a new paradigm for band engineering in photocatalysis.