Construction of Cu2-xS@Zn0.5Cd0.5S S-scheme heterojunction with core-shell structure for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production and tetracycline degradation

Developing efficient catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and pollutant degradation is a promising approach to address energy and environmental pollution issues. S-scheme heterojunctions exhibit strong redox capabilities and rapid charge separation rates, presenting enormous potential in realizing such dual-functional reaction systems. In this paper, the core-shell Cu2-xS@Zn0.5Cd0.5S (Cu2-xS@CZS) with S-scheme heterojunction was constructed by traditional hydrothermal reaction. The hydrogen production rate of Cu2-xS@CZS-2 is the best (20.73 mmol g−1h−1), which is 692 times and 4.82 times that of pure Cu2-xS and Zn0.5Cd0.5S. Furthermore, Cu2-xS@CZS-2 catalyst achieved a removal efficiency of 98.1 % for TC within 180 minutes under visible light. This study demonstrates a transition metal sulfide photocatalyst capable of efficiently harnessing solar energy for the production of clean energy and the remediation of water environments.