Switched Photocurrent on Tin Sulfide‐Based Nanoplate Photoelectrodes

A new type of SnS 2 nanoplate photoelectrode is prepared by using a mild wet‐chemical method. Depending on the calcination temperatures, SnS 2 ‐based photoelectrodes can either retain their n‐type nature with greatly enhanced anodic photocurrent density (ca. 1.2 mA cm −2 at 0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl) or be completely converted into p‐type SnS to generate approximately 0.26 mA cm −2 cathodic photocurrent density at −0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The dominance of sulfur and tin vacancies are found to account for the dramatically different photoelectrochemical behaviors of n‐type SnS 2 and p‐type SnS photoelectrodes. In addition, the band structures of n‐type SnS 2 and p‐type SnS photoelectrodes are also deduced, which may provide an effective strategy for developing SnS 2 /SnS films with controllable energy‐band levels through a simple calcination treatment.