Decorating ZnS by ZnIn2S4 to fabricate hybrid photocatalyst ZnIn2S4/ZnS for high photocatalytic hydrogen generation performance

•ZnIn2S4/ZnS (ZIS/ZnS) have been successfully prepared by using hydrothermal method.•An efficient photocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution was obtained.•Type-I heterojunction was formed to facilitate carrier separation and transfer. The ZnIn2S4/ZnS (ZIS/ZnS) binary hybrid photocatalysts were fabricated by modifying ZnS with ZnIn2S4 employing the facile hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was carried out to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the as-obtained samples. The results indicated that the 5 %ZIS/ZnS exhibits the best photocatalytic performance with a hydrogen generation rate of 8502 μmol g−1h−1. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the introduction of ZnIn2S4, whose unique optimized structures, electronic structures and charge mobility and separation are in favor of the light-harvesting ability and separation and transfer of charge carriers.