Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2024, Vol. 64: 152-165.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60099-9

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Vacancy engineering mediated hollow structured ZnO/ZnS S-scheme heterojunction for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 production

Fangxuan Liua, Bin Suna,b,*(), Ziyan Liua, Yingqin Weia, Tingting Gaoa,b, Guowei Zhoua,*()   

  1. aKey Laboratory of Fine Chemicals in Universities of Shandong, Jinan Engineering Laboratory for Multi-scale Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, Shandong, China
    bShandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai, Yantai 264006, Shandong, China
  • Received:2024-06-09 Accepted:2024-07-03 Online:2024-09-18 Published:2024-09-19
  • Contact: * E-mail: binsun@qlu.edu.cn (B. Sun),gwzhou@qlu.edu.cn (G. Zhou).
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(52202102);National Natural Science Foundation of China(51972180);Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2019BB030);Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2020ME082);Science and Technology Support Plan for Youth Innovation of Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province(2021KJ056);Science Fund of Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai(AMGM2023F13);Science Fund of Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Green Manufacturing at Yantai(AMGM2021F05);Science, Education and Industry Integration of Basic Research Projects of Qilu University of Technology(2023PY022)

Abstract:

Designing a step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction photocatalyst with vacancy engineering is a reliable approach to achieve highly efficient photocatalytic H2 production activity. Herein, a hollow ZnO/ZnS S-scheme heterojunction with O and Zn vacancies (VO, Zn-ZnO/ZnS) is rationally constructed via ion-exchange and calcination treatments. In such a photocatalytic system, the hollow structure combined with the introduction of dual vacancies endows the adequate light absorption. Moreover, the O and Zn vacancies serve as the trapping sites for photo-induced electrons and holes, respectively, which are beneficial for promoting the photo-induced carrier separation. Meanwhile, the S-scheme charge transfer mechanism can not only improve the separation and transfer efficiencies of photo-induced carrier but also retain the strong redox capacity. As expected, the optimized VO, Zn-ZnO/ZnS heterojunction exhibits a superior photocatalytic H2 production rate of 160.91 mmol g-1 h-1, approximately 643.6 times and 214.5 times with respect to that obtained on pure ZnO and ZnS, respectively. Simultaneously, the experimental results and density functional theory calculations disclose that the photo-induced carrier transfer pathway follows the S‐scheme heterojunction mechanism and the introduction of O and Zn vacancies reduces the surface reaction barrier. This work provides an innovative strategy of vacancy engineering in S-scheme heterojunction for solar‐to‐fuel energy conversion.

Key words: Hollow structure, ZnO/ZnS, S-scheme heterojunction, Vacancy engineering, Photocatalytic H2 production