Noble-metal-free MnS/In2S3 composite as highly efficient visible light driven photocatalyst for H2 production from H2S

•MnS/In2S3 composites present impressive high activity and superior stability for H2 production from H2S.•A maximum H2 production rate of 8360 μmol g−1 h−1 can be achieved over MnS/In2S3.•The addition of SO32− and S2− can suppress the formation of yellow S22− and solid S, favoring the long-term H2 production.

Large amounts of sulfide or sulfite have been extracted from fossil energy resources, which call for green strategies to utilize them. In this study, hydrogen production and H2S removal are simultaneously achieved over MnS/In2S3 composite photocatalysts. Highly active MnS/In2S3 composite photocatalysts were synthesized via a solvothermal route. The photocatalytic activities depend on their compositions. A maximum H2 production rate of 8360 μmol g−1 h−1 can be achieved over a MnS/In2S3 with optimized composition, which is approximately 2090 times higher than that of pristine α-MnS and 50 times higher than that of β-In2S3 alone. The corresponding quantum efficiency of this sample is as high as 34.2% at 450 nm even in the absence of any noble-metal co-catalysts. Importantly, MnS/In2S3 composite displays a good stability and anti-photocorrosion, which provides a strategy for scaling up the H2 production from byproducts at petrochemical plants for energy applications.

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