N-doped and sulfur vacancy-rich TiO2@SnS2 nanoporous arrays for the plasmonic photocatalytic H2 evolution

An elegant templating method has been developed for the rational design and synthesis of hierarchical SnS2 nanoclusters composed of ultrathin nanosheets and embedded inside TiO2 nanoporous arrays. Herein, benefiting from their unique structural merits and metal-like plasmonic activity, the TiO2@SnS2 heterostructures exhibit enhanced photocatalytic H-2 evolution properties in terms of good cycling performance. S vacancies and N-doping are proved to be vitally important to the electronic structures and bandgap of SnS2, thus in-fluence the plasmonic property and separation of photo-carriers. The optimized TiO2@6-nmSnS(2)/N nanoporous arrays give an ultra-high H-2 yield rate of 285 mmol h(-1)cm(-2) under a low catalyst loading mass, that comparable to most noble metal catalysts. Remarkable cycling performance with a capability retention of 90% is achieved after 30 h under solar light illumination. As an innovative exploration, this study demonstrates that the photocatalytic activities of nonmetal, earth-abundant SnS2 can be enhanced with plas-monic effect, which may serve as an excellent catalytic agent for solar energy conversion to chemical fuel. (c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

An elegant templating method has been developed for the rational design and synthesis of hierarchical SnS2 nanoclusters embedded inside TiO2 nanoporous arrays, which exhibit enhanced photocatalytic H-2 evolution properties due to their unique structural merits and metal-like plasmonic activity. The S vacancies and N-doping play a crucial role in the electronic structures and bandgap of SnS2, affecting the plasmonic property and separation of photo-carriers. The optimized TiO2@6-nmSnS(2)/N nanoporous arrays achieve an ultra-high H-2 yield rate and remarkable cycling performance, demonstrating the potential of SnS2 as an excellent catalytic agent for solar energy conversion to chemical fuel through plasmonic effect.