Plasmonic Near-Infrared-Response S-Scheme ZnO/CuInS 2 Photocatalyst for H 2 O 2 Production Coupled with Glycerin Oxidation.

Solar fuel synthesis is intriguing because solar energy is abundant and this method compensates for its intermittency. However, most photocatalysts can only absorb UV-to-visible light, while near-infrared light remains unexploited. Surprisingly, the charge transfer between ZnO and CuInS 2 quantum dots (QDs) can transform a near-infrared-inactive ZnO into a near-infrared-active composite. This strong response is attributed to the increased concentration of free charge carriers in the p-type semiconductor at the interface after the charge migration between ZnO and CuInS 2 , enhancing the localized surface plasmon resonance effect and the near-infrared (NIR) response of CuInS 2 . As a paradigm, this ZnO/CuInS 2 heterojunction is used for H 2 O 2 production coupled with glycerin oxidation and demonstrates supreme performance, corroborating the importance of near-infrared response and efficient charge transfer. Mechanistic studies through contact potential difference, Hall effect test, and finite element method calculation allow for the direct correlation between the near-infrared response and charge transfer. Our approach bypasses the general light response issues, thereby stepping forward to the ambitious goal of harnessing the entire solar spectrum. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.