Constructing a 3D Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 direct Z-scheme heterostructure for improved photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance

[Display omitted] •Constructing a 3D morphology Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 direct Z-scheme heterojunctions through the electrostatic self-assembly method.•The performance of photocatalytic CO2 reduction is dramatically improved under the synergistic effect of morphology interface engineering modification strategies.•Under simulated sunlight irradiation conditions, the CH4 yield of BZ-20 was 8.73 and 16.30 times higher than that of the pure ZnIn2S4 and Bi2WO6 samples, respectively. Developing efficient heterojunction photocatalysts with enhanced charge transfer and reduced recombination rates of photogenerated carriers is crucial for harnessing solar energy in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction into renewable fuels. This study employed electrostatic self-assembly techniques to construct a 3D Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 direct Z-scheme heterojunctions. The unique 3D structure provided abundant active sites and facilitated CO2 adsorption. Moreover, the optimized Bi2WO6/ZnIn2S4 composite demonstrated an impressive CH4 yield of 19.54 μmol g−1 under 4 h of simulated sunlight irradiation, which was about 8.73 and 16.30-fold higher than pure ZnIn2S4 and Bi2WO6. The observed enhancements in photocatalytic performance are attributed to forming a direct Z-scheme heterojunction, which effectively promotes charge transport and migration. This research introduces a novel strategy for constructing photocatalysts through the synergistic effect of morphological interface modifications.