Enhanced Hydrogen Production from Water over Ni Doped ZnInS Microsphere Photocatalysts.

Ni doped ZnInS microsphere with flower-like nanoscale petals were prepared by a hydrothermal method. There was an optimal Ni doping content of 0.3 wt% where hydrogen production reached the maximum. Higher Ni doping can hardly dope into the ZnInS lattice and just stay at ZnInS surface, leading to decreased activity. It was determined that Ni entering the ZnInS lattice instead of surface NiS dominated the enhanced photocatalytic activity. The experimental results were rationalized by assuming Ni serving as shallow trapping sites, greatly enhancing the activity of the photocatalyst. Graphical Abstract: Ni doped ZnInS microsphere with flower-like nanoscale petals were prepared by a hydrothermal method. There is an optimal Ni doping content of 0.3 wt% where hydrogen production reached the maximum. It is assumed that Ni serving as shallow trapping sites can separate the arrival time of e/h pairs at the petal surface of ZnInS, so as to greatly reduce their surface recombination and which, in turn, leads to improved hydrogen production.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]