Photogenerated charge separation is very crucial in determining the energy conversion efficiency in visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production from water. Up to now, the photocataytic activity of most efficient semiconductor photocatalysts always relies on the use of noble metals, such as Pt and Ru, as cocatalysts, which drastically increases the cost. Therefore, design of highly efficient nobel-metal-free photocatalysts is urgently desired. Herein, we describe the fabrication of Cd0.5Zn0.5S/NiS surface heterojunction with remarkably improved photocatalytic activity. The hydrogen evolution rate over this photocatalyst reaches 1.44 mmol/h with a quantum yield of 33.9%, which is much higher than most of the reported photocatalysts. We considered that, NiS on the surface of the photocatalyst in the photocatalytic reaction served as an electron trapping site, by which, photogenerated electrons were shunted to NiS with thus spatially separated photoreduction and oxidation sites. Our work not only demonstrated the possibility of a substitution of noble metals, but also certified the concept that the high photocatalytic activity can be achieved by fabrication of a proper surface junction structure.

Fabrication of noble-metal-free Cd<sub>0.5</sub>Zn<sub>0.5</sub>S/NiS heterojunction for efficiently solar hydrogen evolution from water

246th National Meeting (2013)

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Fabrication of noble-metal-free Cd0.5Zn0.5S/NiS heterojunction for efficiently solar hydrogen evolution from water

Fabrication of noble-metal-free Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/NiS heterojunction for efficiently solar hydrogen evolution from water