Visible light photocatalytic H2-production activity of epitaxial Cu2ZnSnS4/ZnS heterojunction

Novel visible light driven photocatalyst Cu2ZnSnS4/ZnS composites were prepared by two-step hydrothermal method. The two semiconductors in the composites are lattice-matched and form close contact between them. With 0.1% Cu2ZnSnS4 grew on ZnS surface, the composite exhibits a high and stable visible light photocatalytic H-2 generation of 432 mu mol g(-1) h(-1). This excellent visible light activity could be attributed to the enhancement of visible light absorption by surfacial modification of ZnS with CZTS and the photoinduced interfacial charge transfer from the valence band of ZnS to Cu2ZnSnS4 in the close contact interface. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.