Carbon encapsulation strategy of Ni co-catalyst: Highly efficient and stable Ni@C/CdS nanocomposite photocatalyst for hydrogen production under visible light

Carbon encapsulation strategy of Ni co-catalyst is applied to the fabrication of novel carbon-coated Ni (Ni@C)/CdS nanocomposite photocatalyst with high efficiency and good stability via a facile solvothermal process by using a pre-prepared Ni@C as a starting material. It is found that the metallic Ni nanoparticles encapsulated in the graphite-like carbon shells show a high chemical and thermal stability, and the resultant Ni@C/CdS nanocomposite shows an average photocatalytic H-2-production activity of 622.7 mu mol h(-1) during 5-h visible-light irradiation and an apparent quantum yield up to ca. 20.5% under 420 nm monochromatic light irradiation. The metallic Ni in Ni@C acted as co-catalyst while the graphite-like carbon as CdS nanoparticles' support and electron acceptor, which resulting in the efficient charge separation, and then the enhanced photoactivity and stability for H-2 production as compared to the pristine CdS nanoparticles. The present novel carbon encapsulation strategy of Ni co-catalyst can shed light on the fabrication of new cheap photocatalyst with excellent photoactivity and stability for H-2 production. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.