摘要
Photocatalytic hydrogen production offers a sustainable pathway to renewable energy, yet its efficiency hinges on optimizing photocatalyst band structures and charge dynamics. Herein, we report the synthesis of Ni-doped ZnIn2S4 (Ni(x)ZIS) via a hydrothermal method, with Ni doping levels tuned to modulate its band gap and carrier mobility. UV-vis spectroscopy revealed a progressive reduction in band gap with increasing Ni content, enhancing visible-light absorption. Among the variants, Ni-0.(2)ZIS exhibited a hydrogen production rate of 2.37 mmol g(-1) h(-1) -6.24 times higher than pristine ZIS (0.38 mmol g(-1) h(-1))-due to improved charge separation and minimized recombination. Integrating Mo2C as a co-catalyst further boosted the performance of Mo2C/Ni-0.(2)ZIS to 4.43 mmol g(-1) h(-1) , an 11.6-fold enhancement over pure ZIS, driven by enhanced light absorption, efficient electron transfer, and increased active sites, as confirmed by photoluminescence, EIS, and TPC analyses. Stability tests demonstrated that Mo2C/Ni-0.(2)ZIS retains 78.67 % of its activity after four cycles, mitigating photocorrosion observed in pure ZIS (57.87 %). This work underscores the synergistic effect of Ni doping and Mo2C co-catalysis in tailoring ZIS-based photocatalysts for superior hydrogen evolution, offering a promising strategy for sustainable energy applications.