Ultrathin ZnIn2S4 nanosheets decorating PPy nanotubes toward simultaneous photocatalytic H2 production and 1,4-benzenedimethanol valorization.

It is highly desirable to make full use of photogenerated charge carriers by elaborately designing high-efficiency multifunctional photocatalysts with achieving bi-value-added production. Herein, we report the photocatalyst with ultrathin ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets decorating polypyrrole nanotubes, thanks to the matched bandgap, is capable of harvesting visible light for photocatalysis, during which the photoexcited electrons and holes are used for H 2 evolution and 1,4-benzenedimethanol (BDM) upgrading oxidation, respectively. Comprehensive experiments and density functional theory calculations indicate that the photoinduced electrons tend to be transferred to the inner PPy nanotubes of PPy@ZIS composite for photocatalytic H 2 generation, while the photoexcited holes favorably oxidize BDM into 1,4-phthalaldehyde (PAD) on outer ZIS nanosheets of PPy@ZIS composite. The optimized PPy@ZIS exhibits an apparent quantum efficiency of 6.43% (at 420 nm) for photocatalytic H 2 evolution and BDM valorization into PAD at a rate of 735 μmol g−1 h−1, remarkably promoting the utilization efficiency of charge carriers. Ultrathin ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets are successfully decorated on PPy nanotubes to form hierarchical PPy@ZnIn 2 S 4 composite, which presents highly desirable photocatalytic properties for simultaneous production of H 2 and 1,4-phthalaldehyde via water reduction and 1,4-benzenedimethanol selective oxidation, respectively. [Display omitted] • Hierarchical PPy@ZnIn 2 S 4 nanocomposite was successfully fabricated. • Simultaneous photocatalytic H 2 evolution and 1,4-benzenedimethanol selective oxidation. • PPy nanotubes act as an electrons collector to boost the H 2 production performance. • Selective oxidation of 1,4-benzenedimethanol to 1,4-phthalaldehyde is the carbon-centered free radical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]