Modulating Surface Chemical States of SnS₂ Nanosheets Via Zn Doping for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Here, a gentle cation-exchange-mediated approach is employed to immobilize Zn cations on the surface of SnS 2 nanosheets for the Zn-SnS 2 photoanode construction. Benefit from the redistribution of surface charges induced by the Zn–S configuration, the Zn-SnS 2 photoanode catalyst possesses excellent separation ability of photogenerated electrons and holes. Therefore, the optimized Zn-SnS 2 photoanode exhibits exceptional Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting performance, achieving a photocurrent density of 1.28 mA·cm –2 at 1.23 V RHE with outstanding long-term stability, which is 4.13 times greater than that of SnS 2 (0.31 mA·cm –2 ). Theoretical simulation calculation reveals that the introduction of Zn enhances adsorption of water molecules and intermediates, reduces the reaction energy barrier, and accelerates the kinetics of the PEC water oxidation reaction. This research offers a viable strategy to enhance photo electrocatalytic efficacy via Zn ion incorporation.