Simultaneously Tuning Charge Separation and Surface Reaction Kinetics on ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> Photoanode by P-Doping for Highly Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Urea Oxidation
Jiamin Sun,
Ling Tang,
Chenglong Li,
Jingjing Quan,
Li Xu,
Xingming Ning,
Pei Chen,
Qiang Weng,
Zhongwei An,
Xinbing Chen
Affiliations
Jiamin Sun
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Ling Tang
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Chenglong Li
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Jingjing Quan
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Li Xu
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Xingming Ning
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Pei Chen
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Qiang Weng
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Zhongwei An
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Xinbing Chen
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, International Joint Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Photoelectric Materials Science, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
ZnIn2S4 nanosheets are a promising photoanode for driving photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen fuel production; nevertheless, poor charge separation and sluggish surface reaction kinetics hinder its PEC performance to an extreme degree. Herein, a facile element doping strategy (i.e., P element) was developed to obtain the desired photoanode. As a result, the ZnIn2S4-P (ZIS-P5) photoanode exhibits a remarkable photocurrent density of 1.66 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE) and a much lower onset potential of 0.12 V vs. RHE for water oxidation. Careful electrochemical analysis confirms that the P doping and sulfur vacancies (Sv) not only facilitate the hole transfer, but also boost surface reaction kinetics. Finally, the “killing two birds with one stone” goal can be achieved. Moreover, the optimized photoanode also presents high PEC performance for urea oxidation, obtaining a photocurrent density of 4.13 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE. This work provides an eco-friendly, simple and effective method to realize highly efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion.
