CuGaS2-ZnS p-n nanoheterostructures: a promising visible light photo-catalyst for water-splitting hydrogen productionElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1 and S2. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr05002f

In this work, novel CuGaS 2 -ZnS p-n type semiconductor nanoheterostructures were synthesized by a solution route, and demonstrated experimentally to be a very promising visible light active photo-catalyst for water-splitting hydrogen production. The construction of CuGaS 2 -ZnS heterostructures follows a multi-step strategy, employing Cu 1.94 S nanocrystals first as catalytic assistants for the hetero-growth of ZnS on their surfaces, and then as sacrificial seeds for the formation of CuGaS 2 . Excitingly, attributed to the efficient charge separation introduced by the p-n heterojunctions, the hydrogen production ability of the CuGaS 2 -ZnS nanoheterostructures under visible light irradiation is 15 times higher than that of the CuGaS 2 component, and comparable to that of the CdS nanophase which is currently regarded as one of the most active visible photo-catalysts for hydrogen generation. In this work, novel CuGaS 2 -ZnS p-n type semiconductor nanoheterostructures were synthesized by a solution route, and demonstrated experimentally to be a very promising visible light active photo-catalyst for water-splitting hydrogen production.