Facile synthesis of hierarchical ZnIn2S4 submicrospheres composed of ultrathin mesoporous nanosheets as a highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst for H2 production

Flower-like spherical ZnIn2S4 superstructures about 500 nm in diameter composed of ultrathin 2–3 nm thick mesoporous nanosheets were synthesized in several minutes by facile polyol-mediated hot-injection. Due to their higher specific surface area and constituent ultrathin mesoporous nanosheets, the hierarchical ZnIn2S4 superstructures exhibited highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 production activity compared with the typical flower-like ZnIn2S4 microspheres prepared by the conventional hydrothermal method. Furthermore, this polyol-mediated hot-injection synthesis strategy is also applicable for the facile synthesis of other metal sulphide nanomaterials with different morphologies, such as CdS quantum dots, Bi2S3 nanorods, and hierarchical flower-like In2S3 and SnS spheres.