Photoelectrochemistry hydrogen production based on a Pt nanowires-bridged CdS nanorods array of piezoelectricity-triggered Z-scheme junctions

Abstract

A vertical CdS nanorods (CdS_NR) array is hydrothermally synthesized on an indium tin oxide (ITO) slice, and a novel Pt nanowires (Pt_NW)/CdS_NR/ITO photoanode is then fabricated after the multipoint-bridging of the CdS_NR by the photodeposited transverse Pt_NW. The piezoelectricity (PE)-enhanced photoelectrochemistry based hydrogen production is studied, giving a photocurrent density of 8.13 mA cm⁻² and a PE-enhancement factor as high as 2.45 on this photoanode, and a hydrogen yield of 0.132 mmol cm⁻² h⁻¹ on a Pt cathode under optimized conditions. A new concept of PE-triggered Z-scheme (or S-scheme) CdS_NR-Pt_NW-CdS_NR junctions as the first example of external-field-triggered photoelectric junctions in the field is put forward to discuss the excellent hydrogen-production performance.