Designed CoSe2@ZnIn2S4 large area 2D/2D Schottky junction for efficient photo-utilization hydrogen evolution and biomass oxidation

The development of low-cost and high-performance photocatalysts is of great significance in achieving clean energy and carbon neutrality. In this paper, a unique 2D/2D CoSe2@ZnIn2S4 (CoSe2@ZIS) Schottky junction photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a feasible hydrothermal method. Such a unique face-to-face structure can provide a large number of electron transfer channels with short charge transfer distances and abundant active sites. The formation of a Schottky junction in the interface further realizes the spatial separation of electrons and holes, effectively avoiding the recombination of the charge carriers at defect sites. As a result, the hydrogen evolution rate of the optimal CoSe2@ZIS sample reaches 46.6 mmol•h−1•g−1 using TEOA as a sacrifice agent, which is more than 6 times that of the ZIS. When the biomass-derived compound furfuryl alcohol (FFA) was added into this system, the photocatalytic H2 production performance could be further promoted, simultaneously obtaining value-added furfural (FF) products. This work shows that the ZnIn2S4-based Schottky heterojunction is a promising bifunctional photocatalytic for water splitting and biomass conversion applications.