Construction of novel Z-scheme cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin/ZnIn2S4 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Photocatalyst for water splitting is a promising method for producing clean hydrogen energy. The Zscheme heterostructure photocatalysts have attracted considerable attention in recent years owing to the unique energy band structures and interfacial interactions. This work rationally constructed the cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin/ZnIn2S4 heterostructure. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of the 25% cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin/ZnIn2S4 heterojunction was boosted considerably, reaching a maximum of 6.9 mmol h -1 g -1, which is 1.8 times of the single ZnIn2S4. The increased separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and visible light absorption are responsible for the high HER activity of the cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin/ZnIn2S4 heterostructure. With the half-reactions using hole-sacrificing agents, this study constructed a reasonable Z-scheme heterostructure for efficient hydrogen evolution.