Significant Enhancement in Photocatalytic Reduction of Water to Hydrogen by Au/Cu₂ZnSnS₄ Nanostructure

Abstract

Enhanced photocatalytic activities by Au core Novel Au/Cu2 ZnSnS4 core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized for the first time via wet chemistry approach. The insertion of Au core into CZTS NPs dramatically enhances light absorption due to surface plasmon resonance effect, especially in the Vis-NIR region. Au/CZTS core/shell NPs show much higher photocatalytic activities for hydrogen evolution compared with other CZTS nanostructures.