Photothermal-enhanced magnetic Cd0.9Zn0.1S/CoB Schottky heterojunction toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The construction of heterojunctions effectively suppresses the undesired recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. This work presents the rational design and preparation of a novel Cd0.9Zn0.1S/CoB (CZS/CoB) Schottky heterojunction tailored for photothermal-assisted photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with the aid of the predictions of density functional theory (DFT). Under visible light irradiation, the hydrogen evolution rate of CZS/CoB reaches 2.56 times that of pure CZS, due to the formed Schottky heterojunction and photothermal properties, effectively inhibiting electron-hole recombination and boosting the photocatalytic reaction. Notably, with the help of the excellent magnetic properties of CoB, the as-synthesized CZS/CoB exhibits excellent magnetic separation property, which is crucial for practical application. The charge transfer pathways in the Schottky heterojunction were confirmed by experimental results and verified by DFT calculation results. This study presents a feasible strategy for the design and preparation of magnetic recyclable Schottky Heterojunction photocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.