In situ growth of SnS₂ nanoplates on g-C₃N₄ nanosheets: an efficient nanoheterostructure for hydrogen generation

The development of reliable, efficient photocatalysts for water splitting is essential to the production of clean hydrogen energy. Fast charge recombination limits the efficiencies of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) and tin disulfide (SnS₂), notwithstanding their potential as materials. In this work, pristine SnS₂, pristine g-C₃N₄, and various SnS₂/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites (containing 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 30 wt% of SnS₂) were effectively synthesized using a one-step in situ hydrothermal method. The structural, optical, morphological, and electrical properties of the materials were carefully investigated using XRD, IR, UV-vis, PL, XPS, FESEM, FETEM, and photoconductivity tests. The generated materials were evaluated for photocatalytic hydrogen generation via water splitting under a 400 W mercury vapor lamp. Of all the generated samples, the 10% SnS₂/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. It generated a peak hydrogen generation yield of around 1094.7 µmol 0.1 g^-1 of catalyst over a 4-hour reaction time. PL and photoconductivity measurements indicate that this enhanced activity is due to reduced recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and fast interfacial charge transfer. Furthermore, after three consecutive cycles of reuse, the 10% nanocomposite demonstrated exceptional stability and continued to function well. Creating an ideal 10% SnS₂/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction significantly improves charge separation and catalytic efficiency. This illustrates its potential as a dependable, reusable catalyst for solar-powered hydrogen production.