Tetragonal β-In2S3: Partial ordering of In3+ vacancy and visible-light photocatalytic activities in both water and nitrate reduction

A highly crystallized tetragonal beta-In2S3 was synthesized with a partial ordering of In3+ vacancy confirmed by Rietveld refinements, which was therefore considered as an intermediate phase between conversional cubic and tetragonal beta-In2S3. Benefiting from the high crystallinity and hierarchical morphology, it exhibited an intrinsic visible light photocatalytic activity in both water and nitrate reduction. The optimized H-2 evolution rate was 442 mu mol/h/g and the nitrate conversion rate was as high as 3.26 mg N/h. Apparent quantum yields of water splitting were also studied from 400 to 650 nm with an optimal value of 1.45% at 400 nm. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.