Few-layered CuInP2S6 nanosheet with sulfur vacancy boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Issue 3 (11th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Peng; Wang, Fengmei; Meng, Jun; Shifa, Tofik Ahmed; Sendeku, Marshet Getaye; Fang, Ju; Li, Shuxian; Cheng, Zhongzhou; Lou, Xiaoding; He, Jun
• Is Part Of: CrystEngComm. Volume 23:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 591
• Page End: 598
• Publication Date: 2020-12-11
• Subjects: Crystals -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Crystallography -- Periodicals; Cristaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Cristallographie -- Périodiques; 548
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ce01487g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-8033

Abstract

Abstract : Uniform few-layered CuInP2 S6 nanosheets and microsheets were initially synthesized and utilized as photocatalysts towards photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Abstract : Photochemical water splitting offers an economic and sustainable approach for solar energy conversion into hydrogen fuel to mitigate the problem of greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, exploring novel semiconductor photocatalysts, which have efficient light absorption and thermodynamically favorable band alignment for water splitting, is crucial. Here, we rationally develop a new photocatalyst of CuInP2 S6 nanosheets to generate hydrogen gas under light illumination. The CuInP2 S6 nanosheet (with a thickness of around 4–7 nm) photocatalyst exhibits a high hydrogen production rate of 804 μmol g −1 h −1, eight times higher than that of the microsheet counterpart, due to the introduced abundant sulfur vacancies. Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations verify that the prolonged carrier lifetime and optimized band alignment in ultrathin CuInP2 S6 nanosheets boost photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This work opens a new avenue for photocatalysis via using novel layered binary metal phosphorous trichalcogenides.