Novel RuSe/TiC nanosheets incorporating into ZnInS nanoflowers with S-scheme charge transfer for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

One promising solution to address the escalating global energy crisis is photocatalytic hydrogen (H) production through water splitting. In this study, we introduce a novel selenium-based Nobel metal RuSe which is deposited onto TiC nanosheets incorporated ZIS-3D nanoflowers and followed by S-scheme pathway along with Schottky junction photocatalyst which is capable of driving visible-light-induced water splitting for H production. The photocatalyst was synthesized by photo depositing a RuSe cocatalyst onto TiC nanosheets, which were subsequently integrated into ZIS nanoflowers. The resulting RuSe/TZ composite exhibited exceptional photocatalytic performance under visible light, achieving an impressive H evolution rate of up to 1892.30 μmol g h. This remarkable activity is attributed to the efficient transfer and separation of photogenerated charge carriers across the interfacial heterostructures, effectively suppressing their recombination. Furthermore, the S-scheme charge transfer mechanism was confirmed through Tauc-plot calculations and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis, which revealed the appropriate band alignment necessary for the efficient migration of photoexcited charge carriers during H production. This work demonstrates that the RuSe cocatalyst integrated with the TiC/ZIS photocatalytic system holds significant potential for addressing environmental challenges and advancing sustainable energy solutions.