Anchoring ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheets on ultrathin boron carbon nitride layers for improved photo-redox catalysis

Ultrathin boron carbon nitride (BCN) nanosheets as fascinating candidates for advanced photocatalysis have aroused broad attention due to their highly stable physicochemical characteristics and potential chemical reaction carriers. However, its catalytic efficiency is ultimately limited by the sluggish kinetics of surface/interfacial photoexcitation charges and visible photons absorption. Herein, we report the exquisite design and construction of hierarchically layered heterostructures BCN- ZnIn₂S₄ that involve solution-processed surface growth of ZnIn₂S₄ subunits on the ultrathin sheet-shaped BCN nanostructures. The intimate interface contact of BCN and ZnIn₂S₄ architectures accelerate the separation/mobility of light-induced charges, as well as provides more active sites. In addition, the highly visible light response of the ZnIn₂S₄ component resulting from a suitable bandgap structure is favourable to the effective visible photons adsorption and utilization. The optimized BCN- ZnIn₂S₄ composite remarkably enhanced the photo-redox efficiency in the reductive CO₂ deoxygenation (CO-releasing rate of 38.6 μmol h⁻¹) and oxidative aromatic alcohols dehydrogenation (conversion of 81.6%) under visible light, which is 386-fold and 2-fold enhance performance compared to the pristine ultrathin BCN nanosheets, respectively. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.