Cu₂ZnSnS₄-Ag₂S Nanoscale p-n Heterostructures as Sensitizers for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.
A cation exchange-based route was used to produce Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)-Ag2S nanoparticles with controlled composition. We report a detailed study of the formation of such CZTS-Ag2S nanoheterostructures and of their photocatalytic properties. When compared to pure CZTS, the use of nanoscale p-n heterostructures as light absorbers for photocatalytic water splitting provides superior photocurrents. We associate this experimental fact to a higher separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. We believe this and other type-II nanoheterostructures will open the door to the use of CZTS, with excellent light absorption properties and made of abundant and environmental friendly elements, to the field of photocatalysis.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences , 100083 Beijing, P. R. China.|Catalonia Energy Research Institute - IREC , 08930 Sant Adria del Besos, Barcelona, Spain.
Xuelian
X
Yu
Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 100190 Beijing, P. R. China.
Jingjing
J
Liu
Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, ICN2 , Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
Aziz
A
Genç
Catalonia Energy Research Institute - IREC , 08930 Sant Adria del Besos, Barcelona, Spain.
Maria
M
Ibáñez
Catalonia Energy Research Institute - IREC , 08930 Sant Adria del Besos, Barcelona, Spain.
Zhishan
Z
Luo
Catalonia Energy Research Institute - IREC , 08930 Sant Adria del Besos, Barcelona, Spain.
Alexey
A
Shavel
Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, ICN2 , Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.|Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats - ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
Jordi
J
Arbiol
Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 100190 Beijing, P. R. China.
Guangjin
G
Zhang
Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences , 100083 Beijing, P. R. China.
Yihe
Y
Zhang
Catalonia Energy Research Institute - IREC , 08930 Sant Adria del Besos, Barcelona, Spain.|Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats - ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
Andreu
A
Cabot