Increasing the H₂ production rate of ZnS(en)_x hybrid and ZnS film by photoexfoliation process

Zinc sulfide nanosheets with different ethylenediamine contents (ZnS(en)_0.5 and ZnS(en)_0.25 hybrids) were prepared by solvothermal and hydrothermal methods at 100 °C and were sequentially sonicated-irradiated during 24 and 48 h to induce a photoexfoliation process. The influence of the photoexfoliation in the physicochemical properties and stability of both ZnS(en)_0.5 and ZnS(en)_0.25 hybrid nanosheets was investigated by diverse techniques: X-ray Diffraction, Textural analysis, Infrared, Diffuse Reflectance, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Then, the as-prepared and exfoliated hybrid nanosheets were deposited on glass substrates using spin coating. The photocatalytic H₂ production of the films was evaluated using an ethanol-water mixture for 6 h and three reaction cycles. A significant increase in the amount of produced H₂ was obtained for the exfoliated solvothermal sample, results that were correlated with the photoelectrochemical characterization of the films.