One-step synthesis N, O co-doped ZnIn2S4 for efficient photocatalytic H2 production and Cr(VI) reduction

Element doping is generally employed to modify photocatalysts by optimizing their electronic structure, and light absorption , as well as improving charge separation and transfer, which are key factors in photocatalysis . In this study, a simple one-step solvothermal route was employed to synthesize N, O co-doped ZnIn 2 S 4 . Systematical analyses demonstrate that the introduction of N and O co-doping leads to enhanced light absorption, increased specific surface areas , and improved charge separation and transfer in comparison to the unmodified ZnIn 2 S 4 . As expected, compared with bare ZnIn 2 S 4 , the as-prepared N, O co-doped ZnIn 2 S 4 exhibits superior photocatalytic H 2 evolution and Cr(VI) photoreduction performance. The H 2 evolution rate of the N, O co-doped ZnIn 2 S 4 reaches 2254.0 μmol g −1 h −1 , which is 2.8 times of pristine ZnIn 2 S 4 . Moreover, the Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency reaches 99.5 % within 50 minutes, and the apparent kinetic constant is nearly 4 times the bare ZnIn 2 S 4 . This work contributes to the modification of ZnIn 2 S 4 for photocatalytic H 2 generation and Cr(VI) reduction.