Substitutional Cd Dopant as Photohole Transfer Mediator Boosting Photoelectrochemical Solar Energy Conversion of 2D Cd‐ZnIn₂S₄ Photoanode

Abstract

Fast recombination dynamics of photocarriers competing with sluggish surface photohole oxidation kinetics severely restricts the photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion efficiency of photoanode. Here, a defect engineering strategy is developed to regulate photohole transfer and interfacial injection dynamics of 2D ZnIn2S4 (ZIS). Via selectively introducing substitutional Cd dopant at Zn sites of the ZIS basal plane, energy band structure and surface electrochemical activity are successfully modulated in the Cd‐doped ZIS (Cd‐ZIS) nanosheet array photoanode. Comprehensive characterizations manifest that a shallow acceptor level induced by Cd doping and superior electrochemical activity make surface Cd dopants simultaneously act as capture centers and active sites to mediate photohole dynamics at the reaction interface. In depth photocarrier dynamics analysis demonstrates that highly efficient photohole capture of Cd dopants brings about effective space separation of photocarriers and acceleration of surface reaction kinetics. Therefore, the optimum 2D Cd‐ZIS achieves excellent PEC solar energy conversion efficiency with a photocurrent density of 5.1 mA cm−2 at 1.23 VRHE and a record of applied bias photon‐to‐current efficiency (ABPE) of 3.0%. This work sheds light on a microstructure design strategy to effectively regulate photohole dynamics for the next‐generation semiconducting PEC photoanodes.