A Novel Charge Transfer Channel to Simultaneously Enhance Photocatalytic Water Splitting Activity and Stability of CdS

Abstract

Abstract It is highly desirable to develop durable photocatalysts for efficiently boosting water splitting, but it is challenging for CdS to realize the expected result without using any hole sacrificial agents. Herein, improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and enhanced stability are simultaneously realized in the absence of any sacrificial agents by introducing Zinc 5‐, 10‐, 15‐, 20‐meso‐tetra (4‐hydrazidephenyl) porphyrin (ZnTHPP) onto CdS nanosheets (CdS NSs). In this system (ZnTHPP/CdS NSs), a novel hole transfer channel is achieved by an internal chemical reaction using the functional group of acylhydrazine in ZnTHPP. Compared with CdS NSs, the ZnTHPP/CdS NSs exhibit excellent photostability (15 h) and efficient photocatalytic activity for pure water splitting (≈6.4 times). Furthermore, it is found that the rate constant for photogenerated holes is about 1.7 times higher than the pure CdS NSs under light irradiation. This suggests that the promising charge transfer channel can efficiently suppress charge recombination and photocorrosion of pure CdS NSs. The pattern via internal charge transfer channel not only can solve the stability of CdS based materials, but also design more semiconductors for efficient photocatalytic water splitting.