Strong hetero-interface interaction in 2D/2D WSe2/ZnIn2S4 heterostructures for highly-efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Green hydrogen is urgently required for sustainable development of human beings and rational construction of heterostructures holds great promising for photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Herein, 2D/2D WSe2/ZnIn2S4 heterostructures with strong hetero-interface interaction and abundant contact were constructed via an impregnation-annealing strategy. Efficient charge transfer from ZnIn2S4 to WSe2 was evidenced by transient absorption spectroscopy in crafted heterostructures owing to the tight and 2D face-to-face contact. As a result, the prepared WSe2/ZnIn2S4 heterostructures exhibited boosted photocatalytic performance and a highest hydrogen evolution rate of 3.377 mmol/(g·h) was achieved with an apparent quantum yield of 45.7 % at 420 nm. The work not only provides new strategies to achieve efficient 2D/2D heterostructures but also paves the way for the development of green hydrogen in the future.