One-pot microwave-assisted synthesis of In2S3/ In2O3 nanosheets as highly active visible light photocatalysts for seawater splitting

A facile one-pot microwave-assisted synthesis prepared a new noble metal-free hetero-structure of In2S3/In2O3 nanosheets for blue LED-light-induced photocatalytic water split-ting. The appropriate InCl3 concentrations and reaction temperatures can grow the In2S3/ In2O3 nanosheets with higher photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production under blue-LED light irradiation. In addition, the optimized In2S3/In2O3 nanosheets exhibited a higher hydrogen production rate is 618.0 mmolh-1g-1 in seawater without adjusted pH values under blue-LED light irradiation. Furthermore, the reusability of In2S3/In2O3 nanosheets revealed the gradual increase of photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency in four cycles. This phenomenon shall be attributed to the reaction of In2S3/In2O3 nanosheets and seawater to form In2S3/In2O3/In(OH)3 nanosheets, which can improve the recombination of the photogenerated charge carriers and light-harvesting capacity to promote their photocatalytic hydrogen production.(c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.