Fabrication of two-dimensional Ni2P/ZnIn2S4 heterostructures for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract Promoting electron-hole separation and migration and lowering the overpotential of hydrogen evolution reactions are two effective solutions for improving photocatalytic hydrogen performance. Suitable co-catalyst and appropriate interfacial contacts can effectively lower overpotential and can also construct an electric field at the interface to increase the separation efficiency of the carriers. In this work, we design and fabricate a 2D-2D type of Ni 2 P co-catalyst modified with ZnIn 2 S 4 for boosting the performance of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. As a co-catalyst, the 2D Ni 2 P nanosheets exhibit a lower overpotential and smaller charge transfer resistance in hydrogen evolution reactions, and is much improved in both respects compared to Ni 2 P nanoparticles. Based on this, 2D/2D Ni 2 P/ZnIn 2 S 4 nanohybrids with large contact regions and shorter transmission distances of the charges were fabricated, which effectively improve the separation of photo induced carriers and the interfacial charge transfer. By taking advantage of the above features, the fabricated 2D-2D Ni 2 P/ZnIn 2 S 4 hybrid exhibits a superior hydrogen evolution rate of 2066 μmol·h −1 ·g −1 under visible light irradiation, and the apparent quantum yield was 7.7% at 420 ± 20 nm. This activity far exceeds performance of the 0D/2D Ni 2 P/ZnIn 2 S 4 hybrid, and is ascribed to better charge separation and accelerated surface reactions of the Ni 2 P nanosheets.