Hydrogen production from water splitting on CdS-based photocatalysts using solar light

Hydrogen energy has been regarded as the most promising energy resource in the near future due to that it is a clean and sustainable energy. And the heterogeneous photocatalytic hydrogen production is increasingly becoming a research hotspot around the world today. As visible light response photocatalysts for hydrogen production, cadmium sulfide (CdS) is the most representative material, the research of which is of continuing popularity. In the past several years, there has been significant progress in water splitting on CdS-based photocatalysts using solar light, especially in the development of co-catalysts. In this paper, recent researches into photocatalytic water splitting on CdS-based photocatalysts are reviewed, including controllable synthesis of CdS, modifications with different kinds of cocatalysts, solid solution, intercalated with layered nanocomposites and metal oxides, and hybrids with graphenes etc. Finally, the problems and future challenges in photocatalytic water splitting on CdS-based photocatalysts are described.