Hierarchical flower-like ZnIn2S4 anchored with well-dispersed Ni12P5 nanoparticles for high-quantum-yield photocatalytic H2 evolution under visible light

Developing cost-effective, highly efficient and stable visible-light photocatalysts towards photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production from water splitting is critical for the conversion of renewable solar energy to chemical fuels. Herein, hierarchical flower-like ZnIn2S4 was synthesized by using a hydrothermal method, and subsequently coupled with Ni12P5 nanoparticles via a facile solution-phase method. Benefitting from the incorporation of nanostructured Ni12P5, which effectively facilitates charge separation and provides active sites for photocatalytic H2 evolution, the as-prepared ZnIn2S4/Ni12P5 composite photocatalysts show high performance for H2 production from aqueous solutions of Na2S/Na2SO3 under visible light irradiation. In particular, the ZnIn2S4/Ni12P5 sample with an optimal loading of Ni12P5 exhibits a maximum H2 evolution rate of 2263 μmol h−1 g−1 with an extremely high apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 20.5% at 420 nm. More importantly, the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the ZnIn2S4/Ni12P5 heterojunction was investigated by using photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements. In short, this work highlights the importance of the interfacial design of transition metal phosphide-decorated ternary metal sulfide semiconductors towards efficient and stable photocatalysis.