CdS nanorods anchored with CoS2 nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

Herein, we report the use of cobalt sulfide (CoS2) as efficient and inexpensive co-catalyst of CdS nanorods for photocatalytic water splitting. The aim is to explore the use of earth-abundant cobalt species to replace precious metals for the photocatalytic reactions. The results of first-principles DFT simulation and planar-averaged differential charge density calculation reveal that at the CoS2/CdS interface, CoS2 has zero band gap which is a class nature of precious metals, and functions as electron trap to enhance the transfer of hot electrons from CdS to CoS2. Owing to the merits of efficient charge separation, high exposure of active sites as well as large surface area, the CoS2/CdS composites exhibit outstanding photocatalytic activity in H-2 production under visible light (similar to 58 mmol.g(-1) h(-1)), which is about 19 times that of CdS nanorods alone and 3 times that of 1 wt%Pt/CdS under the same conditions.