Construction of porous ZnS/TiO2 S-scheme heterostructure derived from MOF-on-MOF with boosting photocatalytic H2-generation activity

The development of photocatalysts with synergistic effects is a crucial step in improving the utilization of clean energy for hydrogen generation. In this study, a novel porous ZnS/TiO2 heterostructure was successfully fabricated through the sulfuration of ZIF-8/NH2-MIL-125(Ti) using a one-pot hydrothermal method. Under simulated solar light, the as-prepared ZnS/TiO2 (5:1) heterostructure exhibited enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production with a rate of 1718 μmol h−1 g−1, which is 4.8 times of ZnS and 38.8 times of TiO2, respectively. The construction of a S-scheme heterojunction between ZnS and TiO2 can enhance electron transfer and suppress electron-hole recombination, which is crucial for efficient photocatalysis. The photoelectrochemical test results were analyzed in detail to understand the photoinduced electron transfer process and the proposed photocatalytic mechanism. This work has significant potential for enhancing the solar hydrogen production performance of MOFs-derived heterojunction photocatalysts, providing a promising approach for clean energy generation.