Rationally designed orthogonal field to boost charges separation for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 606; p. 154967
• Main Authors: Yuan, Jie, Feng, Wenhui, Wu, Yinting, Song, Xinjie, Yue, Xuanyu, Ni, Wenkang, Dai, Wenxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 30.12.2022
• Subjects: Core-shell nanostructure; Hydrogen evolution; Orthogonal field; Photocatalysis; Z-scheme; Orthogonal field; Z-scheme; Photocatalysis; Hydrogen evolution; Core-shell nanostructure
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154967

[Display omitted] •CdS-based core–shell structure was synthesized via one-step cation exchange reaction.•Rationally designed orthogonal field could efficient promotes the carriers separation.•Z-scheme charge transfer can selectively draw internal holes out of the material.•The photo-corrosion is effectively suppressed in this photocatalytic system. Sluggish photogenerated carrier separation and serious photo-corrosion restrict the application of CdS-based materials in the field of photocatalysis. Herein, rationally designed orthogonal field which consists of axial polarized internal electric field (PIEF) and radial internal electric field (IEF) is realized in CdS-based core–shell heterojunction. The axial PIEF could drive efficient separation of electron-hole pairs and the radial IEF could alleviate the accumulation of carriers in the end of nanorods. Furthermore, the radial IEF provides a selective bulk holes transmission channel and consumes in the Z-scheme, which can effectively alleviate the aggregation of holes in bulk phase and interface. Impressively, two IEFs in CdS@Mo-doped CdS core–shell structures synergistically enhance the separation efficiency of carriers and inhibit the photo-corrosion of materials, and the exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 11.23 mmol·g−1·h−1 is obtained which is approximately 11 times than that of pure CdS. This work discloses a new route for enhance CdS-based photocatalytic activity by in-situ construction of orthogonal field.