CdIn(2)S(4)/In(OH)(3)/NiCr-LDH Multi-Interface Heterostructure Photocatalyst for Enhanced Photocatalytic H(2) Evolution and Cr(VI) Reduction

The development of highly active and stable photocatalysts, an effective way to remediate environment pollution and alleviate energy shortages, remains a challenging issue. In this work, a CdIn(2)S(4)/In(OH)(3) nanocomposite was deposited in-situ on NiCr-LDH nanosheets by a simple hydrothermal method, and the obtained CdIn(2)S(4)/In(OH)(3)/NiCr-LDH heterostructure photocatalysts with multiple intimate-contact interfaces exhibited better photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic H(2) evolution rate of CdIn(2)S(4)/In(OH)(3)/NiCr-LDH increased to 10.9 and 58.7 times that of the counterparts CdIn(2)S(4) and NiCr-LDH, respectively. Moreover, the photocatalytic removal efficiency of Cr(VI) increased from 6% for NiCr-LDH and 75% for CdIn(2)S(4) to 97% for CdIn(2)S(4)/In(OH)(3)/NiCr-LDH. The enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the formation of multi-interfaces with strong interfacial interactions and staggered band alignments, which offered multiple pathways for carrier migration, thus promoting the separation efficiency of photo-excited electrons and holes. This study demonstrates a facile method to fabricate inexpensive and efficient heterostructure photocatalysts for solving environmental problems.