Solvent Mediated Fabrication of Ditched Hollow Indium Sulfide (In2S3) Spheres for Overall Electrocatalytic Water Splitting

The controlled synthesis of nanomaterials is of prime importance in modern-day science. We report the shape-controlled synthesis of In2S3 spheres via a one-step solvent-mediated method. The process is very economical as it only requires the switching of solvent during synthesis (pure ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol/water, and ethylene glycol/ethanol mixtures) to fabricate porous and hollow In2S3 spheres. We have deliberately chosen a high boiling solvent and a combination of high and low boiling solvents to control the morphology. The synthesized In2S3 hollow spheres proved to be electrocatalytically active for an overall electrocatalytic water splitting and drive the oxygen evolution reactions at 230 mV and the hydrogen evolution reactions at 239 mV to produce a current density of 10 mA cm(-2), respectively.

Automated summary

Controlled synthesis of In2S3 spheres was achieved via a solvent-mediated method, enabling morphology control through solvent switching. The synthesized hollow spheres exhibited electrocatalytic activity for water splitting, driving oxygen evolution at 230mV and hydrogen evolution at 239mV.