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ARTICLE

Zn Vacancy-Regulated Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S for Enhanced Charge Separation and Boosted Photocatalytic H₂O₂ Generation

Yuanyi Zhang, Yang Gu, Yuxin Lan, Zhenyu Wang, Wei Yan, Yingcong Wei, Jing Xu^*

School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

* Corresponding Author: Jing Xu. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Chalcogenide Materials for Sustainable Environment)

Chalcogenide Letters 2026, 23(5), 6 https://doi.org/10.32604/cl.2026.082986

Received 26 March 2026; Accepted 20 May 2026; Issue published 02 June 2026

Abstract

Photocatalytic H₂O₂ synthesis from O₂ is a green and environmentally friendly route. However, due to the limitations of quick recombination of photogenerated electrons and limited O₂ activation ability, photocatalytic reactions often exhibit low efficiency. In this study, Zn vacancy-engineered Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S (Zn_V-ZCS) photocatalysts were successfully constructed via a hydrothermal strategy using L-cysteine as a coordination agent. The optimized Zn_V-ZCS-10 catalyst achieves an impressive H₂O₂ production rate of 44.39 mmol/g within 1 h under 425 nm irradiation, approximately 2.3 times higher than that of pristine Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S (ZCS). Structural characterization and cycling performance tests confirm that the introduction of Zn vacancies does not alter the pristine hexagonal crystal phase of the material, demonstrating good stability. Photoelectrochemical and spectroscopic analyses reveal that Zn vacancies effectively enhance charge carrier separation and reduce charge transfer resistance. Meanwhile, the presence of cation vacancies reconstructs the local electronic environment, promoting the activity of the Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S catalyst for H₂O₂ production via the superoxide radical (·O₂⁻)-mediated pathway. This work highlights the crucial role of cation vacancies in modulating carrier dynamics in sulfide semiconductors for efficient photocatalytic H₂O₂ production.

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Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material File

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