Tin (II) sulfide (SnS) is a promising semiconductor material for next-generation solar energy conversion due to its favorable bandgap, elemental abundance, low toxicity, and low cost. A major challenge, however, lie in the low open circuit voltages that are typically obtained in SnS-based devices. Herein, a low-cost solution-phase deposition technique is used to prepare SnS thin films and investigate different junction materials (Ga₂O₃ and In₂S₃) to improve the photovoltage in SnS-based water splitting photocathodes. Molecular inks are prepared by dissolving SnS powder in solvent mixtures of ethylenediamine and 1,2-ethanedithiol. SnS thin films are then successfully deposited by spin coating the inks onto substrates, followed by a heat treatment at 350°C in an inert atmosphere. With a photoelectrode based on a SnS/Ga₂O₃ heterojunction, an onset potential of +0.25 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) is achieved for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution in pH 7 phosphate buffer, which is until now the earliest onset potential (highest photovoltage) among nontoxic replacements to CdS junctions in SnS-based water splitting systems.

中文翻译：

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用于太阳能水分解的硫化锡/氧化镓异质结

锡 (II) 硫化物 (SnS) 具有良好的带隙、元素丰度、低毒性和低成本，是用于下一代太阳能转换的有前途的半导体材料。然而，一个主要的挑战在于通常在基于 SnS 的设备中获得的低开路电压。在此，一种低成本的溶液相沉积技术用于制备 SnS 薄膜并研究不同的结材料（Ga ₂ O ₃和 In ₂ S ₃) 以提高基于 SnS 的水分解光电阴极的光电压。分子墨水是通过将 SnS 粉末溶解在乙二胺和 1,2-乙二硫醇的溶剂混合物中来制备的。然后通过将油墨旋涂到基材上，然后在惰性气氛中在 350°C 下进行热处理，成功地沉积了 SnS 薄膜。使用基于 SnS/Ga ₂ O ₃异质结的光电极，在 pH 7 磷酸盐缓冲液中光电化学析氢实现了 +0.25 V 相对于可逆氢电极 (RHE) 的起始电位，这是迄今为止最早的起始电位（最高光电压）在基于 SnS 的水分解系统中 CdS 结的无毒替代品中。