In situ growth of CdS nanoparticles on UiO-66 metal-organic framework octahedrons for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light irradiation

CdS nanoparticles acting as photosensitizer was grown in situ upon UiO-66 metal-organic framework octahedrons through a hydrothermal process. The resultant CdS/UiO-66 hybrid photocatalysts show remarkably active hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation as compared to CdS and UiO-66 alone. The optimum hybrid with 16 wt% CdS loading shows a hydrogen production rate of 235 mu mol h(-1), corresponding to 1.2% quantum efficiency at 420 nm. The improved photocatalytic hydrogen production over hybrid CdS/UiO-66 is ascribed to the efficient interfacial charge transfer from CdS to UiO-66, which effectively suppresses the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and thereby enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.