journal article·2025-01Open access

Balancing the Charge Separation and Surface Reaction Dynamics in Twin‐Interface Photocatalysts for Solar‐to‐Hydrogen Production

Meng Dan, Shan Yu, Weihua Lin, Mohamed Abdellah, Zhen Guo, Zhao‐Qing Liu, Tõnu Pullerits, Kaibo Zheng, Ying Zhou

Advanced Materials· Volume 37· Issue 4

Abstract

Abstract Solar‐driven photocatalytic green hydrogen (H2) evolution reaction presents a promising route toward solar‐to‐chemical fuel conversion. However, its efficiency has been hindered by the desynchronization of fast photogenerated charge carriers and slow surface reaction kinetics. This work introduces a paradigm shift in photocatalyst design by focusing on the synchronization of charge transport and surface reactions through the use of twin structures as a unique platform. With CdS twin structure (CdS‐T) as a model, the role of twin boundaries in modulating surface reactions and facilitating charge migration is systematically investigated. Utilizing transient absorption (TA) and time‐resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopies, it is revealed that CdS‐T achieves charge separation on a picosecond timescale and, importantly, the surface reaction at the twin boundary with the involvement of holes also occurs within 100 ps to 3 ns. This synchronization of charge donation and surface regeneration significantly enhances the hydrogen evolution process. Accordingly, CdS‐T exhibits superior activity for visible light photocatalytic H2 production, withthe H2 production rate of 55.61 mmol h−1 g−1 and remarkable stability (>30 h), outperforming pristine CdS significantly. This study underscores the transformative potential of twin structures in photocatalysis, offering a new avenue to synchronize charge transport and surface reactions.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Perovskite Materials and Applications · Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

National Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation Southwest Petroleum University Chengdu 610500 China

College of Materials Science & Engineering Taiyuan University of Technology Taiyuan 030024 China

Department of Chemical Physics and NanoLund Lund University Lund 22100 Sweden

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangzhou University Guangzhou 510006 China

Department of Chemistry College of Science United Arab Emirates University Al Ain P.O. Box 17551 United Arab Emirates

Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Kongens Lyngby DK‐2800 Denmark

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province · Vetenskapsrådet · Villum Fonden

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