Decorating Zn2In2S5 with non-noble metal β-NiS for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of phase-pure β-NiS as non-noble metal cocatalyst. • Ultrasonic-assisted construction of intimately contacted NiS/ZIS 5 heterojunctions. • An exceptional H 2 evolution rate of 22.94 mmol g −1  h −1 is achieved over the 15% NiS/ZIS 5 composite. • β-NiS extends light absorption and accelerates charge separation in the ZIS 5 heterojunction. The development of earth-abundant non-precious metal cocatalysts to replace noble metal counterparts is critical for improving pristine photocatalyst performance and advancing the practical application of photocatalytic hydrogen production. In this study, a series of β-NiS-decorated pristine Zn 2 In 2 S 5 x% NiS/Zn 2 In 2 S 5 composite photocatalysts with different β-NiS loadings were fabricated via a facile ultrasonic-assisted deposition method, using non-precious β-NiS as a cocatalyst. All as-prepared x% NiS/Zn 2 In 2 S 5 composites showed significantly improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity compared to pristine ZIS 5 . The optimized sample 15% NiS/Zn2In2S5 sample delivered a hydrogen production rate of 22.94 mmol g −1  h −1 , 6.75 times that of pure ZIS 5 . The remarkably improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of x% NiS/ZIS 5 composite photocatalyst is attributed to the synergistic effect from loaded β-NiS cocatalyst. It enhances light harvesting, and enables efficient separation of photogenerated carriers. This work provides a valuable reference for constructing high-performance composite photocatalysts for hydrogen production using non-noble metal cocatalysts coupled with pristine semiconductors.