Facile Synthesis of 2D/2D Ti(2)C(3)/ZnIn(2)S(4) Heterostructure for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

ZnIn(2)S(4), a novel two-dimensional visible light-responsive photocatalyst, has attracted much attention in the photocatalytic evolution of H(2) under visible light irradiation due to its attractive intrinsic photoelectric properties and geometric configuration. However, ZnIn(2)S(4) still has severe charge recombination, which results in moderate photocatalytic performance. Herein, we report the successful synthesis of 2D/2D ZnIn(2)S(4)/Ti(3)C(2) nanocomposites by a facile one-step hydrothermal method. The efficiency of the nanocomposites in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation was also evaluated for different ratios of Ti(3)C(2), and the optimal photocatalytic activity was achieved at 5% Ti(3)C(2). Importantly, the activity was significantly higher than that of pure ZnIn(2)S(4), ZnIn(2)S(4)/Pt, and ZnIn(2)S(4)/graphene. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is mainly due to the close interfacial contact between Ti(3)C(2) and ZnIn(2)S(4) nanosheets, which amplifies the transport of photogenerated electrons and enhances the separation of photogenerated carriers. This research describes a novel approach for the synthesis of 2D MXenes for photocatalytic hydrogen production and expands the utility of MXene composite materials in the fields of energy storage and conversion.