In situ fabrication of a novel CdS/ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄ ternary heterojunction with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance†

Abstract

In this study, a novel g-C ₃N ₄-based ternary heterojunction was rationally designed and constructed by the in situ growth of ZnIn ₂S ₄ nanosheets and CdS nanoparticles onto the g-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets using a facile two-step oil-bath method. Through optimizing the proportion of ZnIn ₂S ₄ and CdS component, g-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets coupled with ZnIn ₂S ₄ nanosheets and CdS nanoparticles (denoted as CdS/ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄) exhibited obviously higher photocatalytic properties for RhB removal than the single-component and dual-component systems. Among the as-obtained ternary photocatalysts, it was found that the ternary CdS/ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄-0.2 photocatalyst displayed the optimum photocatalytic property (96%) within a short time (30 min), which was almost 27.42 and 1.17 times higher than that of pure g-C ₃N ₄ and binary ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄-0.7 composite. The excellent activity of the ternary CdS/ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄ heterostructure is assigned to the synergetic effects of CdS nanoparticles, ZnIn ₂S ₄ nanosheets and g-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets, which not only broaden the visible-light absorption range, but also improve the charge mobility and separation rate, thus boosting the visible-light-driven photocatalytic property of g-C ₃N ₄.

Abstract

A novel ternary photocatalyst CdS/ZnIn ₂S ₄/g-C ₃N ₄ was designed and constructed by a calcination and two-step in situ deposition method with high-efficiency visible-light photocatalytic performance.