ZnIn₂S₄-Based Photocatalysts for Energy and Environmental Applications

As a fascinating visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn₂S₄) has attracted extensive interdisciplinary interest and is expected to become a new research hotspot in the near future, due to its nontoxicity, suitable band gap, high physicochemical stability and durability, ease of synthesis, and appealing catalytic activity. This review provides an overview on the recent advances in ZnIn₂S₄-based photocatalysts. First, the crystal structures and band structures of ZnIn₂S₄ are briefly introduced. Then, various modulation strategies of ZnIn₂S₄ are outlined for better photocatalytic performance, which includes morphology and structure engineering, vacancy engineering, doping engineering, hydrogenation engineering, and the construction of ZnIn₂S₄-based composites. Thereafter, the potential applications in the energy and environmental area of ZnIn₂S₄-based photocatalysts are summarized. Finally, some personal perspectives about the promises and prospects of this emerging material are provided.