Engineering electron extractors on carbon nitride-based van der Waals heterojunction for efficient solar-driven H2 evolution, CO2 reduction, and H2O2 production

Low charge separation efficiency remains a key bottleneck limiting the performance of photocatalysts. In this study, we propose a novel van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction photocatalyst—ReS 2 supported on S-doped porous carbon nitride nanosheets (denoted as ReS 2 @CNS)—synthesized via a pre-coordination confinement strategy. This work introduces an innovative integration of interface engineering and band structure modulation to simultaneously promote spatial charge separation and extend visible light absorption. The novelty lies in the rational design of the vdW heterojunction interface, which not only facilitates efficient migration of photogenerated electrons by suppressing charge recombination, but also leverages ReS 2 as a high-efficiency electron acceptor. The resulting composite demonstrates significantly enhanced multifunctional photocatalytic performance, achieving an H 2 evolution rate of 5693.04 μmol g −1  h −1 (3.8 times that of CNS), a CO generation rate of 63.17 μmol g −1  h −1 (approximately 3.0 times that of CNS), and an H 2 O 2 production rate of 200.70 μmol g −1  h −1 . This study pioneers a synergistic approach by combining vdW heterojunction construction with targeted electron acceptor design, providing a new paradigm for the development of high-performance, multifunctional photocatalysts and offering valuable theoretical and practical insights for solar-to-chemical energy conversion.