Dimension dependent photocatalysis over Znln2S4: Controllable synthesis and catalytic mechanism insight

Dimensional control of nano-photocatalysts enables the enhancement of catalytic activity through optimization of electronic structures. In this study, we take Znln2S4 as an example to demonstrate the influence of dimensional structure on photocatalytic reactions. Firstly, we successfully prepared three different dimensional structures of Znln2S4 (including 1D, 2D, and 3D Znln2S4) using a surfactant-assisted synthesis method. In photocatalytic experiments, we found that Znln2S4 exhibits dimension-dependent catalytic performance in both photocatalytic hydrogen production and photodegradation of dye solutions. Among them, 2D ZnIn2S4 demonstrates highest photocatalytic performance. The hydrogen evolution rate of 2D ZnIn2S4 reached 0.69 mmol g−1 h−1, which was 3.29 and 1.17 times higher than 1D ZnIn2S4 and 3D ZnIn2S4, respectively. In addition, the degradation rate of Rodamine B (RhB) by 2D ZnIn2S4 reached 92.3 % within 30 min, significantly higher than that of 1D ZnIn2S4 (70.3 %) and 3D ZnIn2S4 (86.3 %). The origin for high activity of 2D ZnIn2S4 was investigated by multiple perspectives including light absorption range, charge separation efficiency, band structure, and specific surface area. The results revealed that the high activity of 2D ZnIn2S4 may mainly originate from its dimension-controlled high charge separation efficiency.