Enhanced photocarriers separation of novel CdS/pt/Mo2C heterostructure for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The production of H₂ from water using photocatalysts is a promising way of generating clean, renewable and alternative energy. The key issue is to develop active and stable photocatalysts. Here, we report a novel CdS/Pt/Mo₂C heterostructure photocatalyst, where Pt nanoparticles are closely supported on CdS/Mo₂C. The UV-vis spectrum and EIS Nyquist plots show that Mo₂C can boost the absorption in the UV-vis region and improve the separation of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs from CdS. The Pt nanoparticles act as the active co-catalyst that promotes the transient photocurrent response. As a result, the CdS/Pt/Mo₂C photocatalyst exhibits an excellent H₂ evolution activity up to 1828.82 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ under visible-light irradiation, 8.5 and 16.2 times higher than that of pristine CdS and CdS/Mo₂C, respectively. Moreover, a high apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 9.39% is obtained at 400 nm for the CdS/Pt/Mo₂C heterostructure photocatalyst.