High-efficiency photocathodic protection performance of novel MnIn2S4/TiO2 n-n heterojunction films for Q235 carbon steel in chloride-containing simulated concrete pore solution

In this work, the n-type TiO2 nanotube film was modified successfully by n-type MnIn2S4 nanoparticles with one-step hydrothermal method, and a novel MnIn2S4/TiO2 heterojunction material with excellent photoelectrochemical properties was constructed firstly. Owing to the modification, the light response range of MnIn2S4/TiO2 nanocomposites was extended to the visible light region. Benefiting from the presence of type II n-n heterojunction with built-in electric field effects in the nanocomposites, the photogenerated carriers recombination rate decreased significantly. In addition, the photocathodic protection effects of MnIn2S4/TiO2 (MIS/T) photoanodes on Q235 carbon steel (Q235 CS) immersed in simulated concrete pore solution containing chloride were investigated. Under visible light irradiation, the cathodic protection current density of MIS/T-2 photoanode was found to be more than 30 μA/cm2 and over 10 times that of T photoanode. The MIS/T-2 photoanode has good long-term photochemical stability and maintains excellent photocathodic protection effect on Q235 CS (OCP value are about - 870 mV (vs. SCE)) under visible light irradiation. The amount of MnIn2S4 nanoparticles deposited on the TiO2 film could affect the photoelectrochemical properties of MnIn2S4/TiO2 n-n heterojunctions and an appropriate number of the nanoparticles, corresponding to the best cathodic protection performance was revealed.