Regionalized and vectorial charges transferring of Cd1-xZnxS twin nanocrystal homojunctions for visible-light driven photocatalytic applications

In photocatalyst designing, quick recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs in the bulk or on the surface of semiconductors is a major limiting factor in achieving high photocatalytic efficiency, which is one of the most knotty scientific issues. For this purpose, a series of Cd1-xZnxS twin nanocrystal (NC) zinc blende/wurtzite (ZB/WZ) homojunctions photocatalysts were synthesized by a facile solvothermal route and innovatively employed in photocatalytic degradation. In sample Cd0.6Zn0.4S, ZB and WZ phases have the largest distribution and closest interconnection at atomic level. The type-II staggered band alignment formed between two phases made photo-generated electrons and holes spatially separated to ZB (away from twin plane) and WZ (to twin plane) regions, and the ordered arrangement of redox reaction's active sites was then realized inside a single semiconductor. Finally, photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by degradation of methylene blue (MB) upon visible light irradiation. The optimal Cd0.6Zn0.4S NCs without any co-catalyst loading showed high photocatalytic activity with degradation efficiency of 95% in 80 min and performed excellent photostability. Furthermore, photocatalytic degradation and electron transfer mechanisms in Cd0.6Zn0.4S twin NCs are studied particularly. Inner twin structure homojunction has provided a new insight into the crystalline phase engineering. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Inc.