Abstract
A photoassisted approach has been developed to synthesize a zinc indium oxide (Zn(5)In(2)O(8))/oxysulfide composite through in situ sulfuration of vacancy-rich Zn(5)In(2)O(8). It was found that vacancies have a considerable impact on the formation of the composite. The composite exhibited an increased photocatalytic H(2) evolution activity under visible-light irradiation, which probably resulted from the enhanced ability to separate photoinduced electrons and holes. The H(2) evolution rate over the composite was about 17 times higher when using vacancy-rich rather than conventional Zn(5)In(2)O(8). This study provides a new method of improving the activity of photocatalysts.