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. 2024 May 15;17(10):2367.
doi: 10.3390/ma17102367.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 Composites for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Yu-Cheng Chang  1 , Jia-Ning Bi  1 , Kuan-Yin Pan  1 , Yung-Chang Chiao  1   2
Affiliations

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 Composites for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Yu-Cheng Chang et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

This research successfully synthesized SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites for photocatalytic tap water splitting using a rapid two-step microwave-assisted synthesis method. This study investigated the impact of incorporating a fixed quantity of SnO2 nanoparticles and combining them with various materials to form composites, aiming to enhance photocatalytic hydrogen production. Additionally, different weights of SnO2 nanoparticles were added to the ZnIn2S4 reaction precursor to prepare SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Notably, the photocatalytic efficiency of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites is substantially higher than that of pure SnO2 nanoparticles and ZnIn2S4 nanosheets: 17.9-fold and 6.3-fold, respectively. The enhancement is credited to the successful use of visible light and the facilitation of electron transfer across the heterojunction, leading to the efficient dissociation of electron-hole pairs. Additionally, evaluations of recyclability demonstrated the remarkable longevity of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites, maintaining high levels of photocatalytic hydrogen production over eight cycles without significant efficiency loss, indicating their impressive durability. This investigation presents a promising strategy for crafting and producing environmentally sustainable SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites with prospective implementations in photocatalytic hydrogen generation.

Keywords: SnO2 nanoparticles; SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites; microwave-assisted synthesis; photocatalytic hydrogen production; photocatalytic tap water splitting; reusability.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Illustrates a schematic representation of the reaction to forming the SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The FESEM images of (a) SnO2 nanoparticles and (b,c) SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites. (d) The FESEM EDS mapping images of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The XRD pattern of (a) SnO2 nanoparticles and (b) SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) The survey XPS spectra of the SnO2 nanoparticles and SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites. High-resolution XPS spectra of (b) Sn 3d and (c) O 1s for SnO2 nanoparticles and SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites, respectively. High-resolution XPS spectra of (d) Zn 2p, (e) In 3d, and (f) S 2p for SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites, respectively.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The (a) FETEM image, (b) SAED pattern, (c) HRTEM image, and (d) FETEM EDS mapping images of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) The average HER of SnO2 nanoparticles with different sacrificial reagents. (b) The average HER of SnO2 nanoparticles is decorated with various materials. (c) The average HER of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites with varying weights of SnO2 nanoparticles.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) UV–visible absorption spectra, (b) PL spectra, and (c) photocurrent response of SnO2 nanoparticles and SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 8
Figure 8
The schematic diagram delineates the photocatalytic mechanism of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites.
Figure 9
Figure 9
(a) The average HER of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites under deionized water and tap water under blue or white LED light irradiation. (b) Reusability of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites for eight cycles. (c) XRD spectrum of SnO2@ZnIn2S4 composites after the eight cycles.
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