Modulating charge spatial separation in S-scheme FeS2/Cd0.3Mn0.7S heterostructure via strong interaction at interface with boosted photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The construction of high-performance photocatalysts plays a pivotal role in realizing the efficient conversion of solar energy-hydrogen energy. In this work, we employed an electrostatic self-assembly approach to couple Cd0.3Mn0.7S with FeS2, thereby fabricating the FeS2/Cd0.3Mn0.7S S-scheme heterojunction. When used as a catalyst, the heterojunction achieved a photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of 11.88 mmol/g/h, utilizing the full spectrum region. This performance was 66.7 and 1.5 times higher than that of FeS2 and Cd0.3Mn0.7S, respectively. Furthermore, the as-fabricated FeS2/Cd0.3Mn0.7S exhibited long-term stability, with hydrogen production demonstrating a linear growth trend over the irradiation time. The enhancement in photocatalytic performance was attributed to the formation of the S-scheme heterojunction, which boosts the separation efficiency of charge carriers through interface engineering, thereby improving light energy utilization. Additionally, FeS2 served as an efficient cocatalyst, providing active sites for photocatalytic hydrogen production. This work offers valuable insights into the rational design of efficient cocatalysts and the construction of S-scheme heterojunctions.