Elegant Z-scheme WO3/Au/In2S3 nanowire arrays were precisely constructed through a facile step-by-step route. Surface potential change on pristine or In2S3-Au coated WO3 single nanowire under dark and illumination detected through a Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) technique indicates that the vectorial holes transfer of In2S3 → Au → WO3 should occur upon the excitation of both WO3 and In2S3. In such charge transfer processes, the embedded Au nanoparticles in the heterojunction systems act as a charge mediator for electrons in the conduction band of WO3 and holes in the valence band of In2S3. The strong charge carrier separation ability of this structure will finally enhance the oxidation ability of WO3 with high concertation of photogenerated holes and, further, leave the free electrons in the In2S3 with long surviving time. Therefore, the unique Z-scheme WO3/Au/In2S3 heterostructure shows great visible-light activity toward photocatalytic reduction of CO2 in the presence of water vapor into renewable hydrocarbon fuel (methane: CH4).
Keywords: Kelvin probe force microscopy; Z-scheme; interfacial charge transfer; photocatalysts.