Dual-cocatalysts decorated rimous CdS spheres advancing highly-efficient visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 231; pp. 101 - 107
• Main Authors: Wei, Ren-Bin, Huang, Zan-Ling, Gu, Guang-Hui, Wang, Zhu, Zeng, Lixi, Chen, Yibo, Liu, Zhao-Qing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05.09.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alternative energy; Catalysts; CdS; Chemical fuels; Dual-cocatalyst; Electrons; Energy conversion; Energy sources; Hybrids; Hydrogen; Hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen production; Hydrogen storage; Irradiation; Light irradiation; Noble metals; Organic chemistry; P-n junctions; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Radiation; Solar energy; Solar energy conversion; Sustainable energy; Water splitting; Dual-cocatalyst; CdS; Photocatalysis; Hydrogen production
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2018.03.014

[Display omitted] •Ternary dual-cocatalyst NiS/CDs/CdS photocatalysts were rationally designed and synthesized.•Formation of internal p-n junction between NiS and CdS in hybrids account for the superior charge separation.•The CDs act as electron reservoirs to accelerate photoinduced electrons extraction and retard charge recombination.•The photocatalysts showed remarkably enhanced hydrogen production rate and highly reusability. The design and synthesis of robust and efficient photocatalysts for water splitting to generate hydrogen is deemed to be a promising approach for sustainable energy sources. In this work, noble-metal-free nanostructured ternary NiS/CDs/CdS (NCCS) photocatalysts were elaborately designed and successfully synthesized for high-efficient hydrogen evolution. Taking the advantages of strong absorption and electron buffer property of carbon dots (CDs), as well as merits of internal p-n junction formed between NiS and CdS, the as-prepared NCCS composite shows prominent promotion of hydrogen evolution in comparison with single CdS photocatalyst and binary hybrids (NiS/CdS and CDs/CdS). Remarkably, the optimal ternary hybrid achieves a hydrogen production rate as high as 1444.5 μmol h−1 g−1 under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), up to 5.38 times over bare CdS spheres. This work paves a new pathway for the rational design of efficient hybrid photocatalysts toward solar energy conversion to chemical fuels.