Spatially Separated CdS Shells Exposed with Reduction Surfaces for Enhancing Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

5 years ago

Spatially Separated CdS Shells Exposed with Reduction Surfaces for Enhancing Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Bocheng Qiu, Mingyang Xing, Qiaohong Zhu, Jinlong Zhang, Lingzhi Wang, Mengmeng Du

To the photocatalytic H2 evolution, the exposure of a reduction surface over a catalyst plays an important role for the reduction of hydrogen protons. Here, this study demonstrates the design of a noble-metal-free spatially separated photocatalytic system exposed with reduction surfaces (MnOx@CdS/CoP) for highly solar-light-driven H2 evolution activity. CoP and MnOx nanoparticles are employed as the electron and hole collectors, which are selectively anchored on the outer and inner surface of CdS shells, respectively. Under solar light irradiation, the photogenerated holes and electrons can directionally move to the MnOx and CoP, respectively, leading to the exposure of a reduction surface. As a result, the H2 evolution increases from 32.0 to 238.4 µmol h−1, which is even higher than the activity of platinum-loaded photocatalyst (MnOx@CdS/Pt). Compared to the pure CdS with serious photocorrosion, the MnOx@CdS/CoP maintains a changeless activity for the H2 evolution and rhodamine B degradation, even after four cycles. The research provides a new strategy for the preparation of spatially separated photocatalysts with a selective reduction surface. Spatially separated CdS sphere shells with a selective reduction surface are synthesized by a novel strategy. In this case, the CoP and MnOx nanoparticles as the cocatalysts are located at the outer and inner surface of shells, respectively. The directional migration of photogenerated charges is responsible for the stable and enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution and rhodamine B degradation under solar light irradiation.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201702624