Light-tuned switching of charge transfer channel for simultaneously boosted photoactivity and stability

The design and construction of semiconductor-based photocatalysts with high activity and stability toward redox reactions is an imperative requirement for practical photocatalytic applications. Here, we report that tuning light irradiation from visible light to UV-vis light can simultaneously improve the photocatalytic activity and stability of ternary ZnO-CdS-MoS2(ZCM) heterostructure catalyst for H-2 evolution, which is enabled by switching the interfacial charge transfer channel from the conventional type-II charge transfer pathway to the direct Z-scheme pathway. The Z-scheme system boosts more efficient charge carrier separation and consumption of holes and electrons for respective redox processes, thereby resulting in more distinct activity enhancement and particularly photocorrosion inhibition than the type-II system over the ZCM photocatalyst.