Bridging CdS with Ti3C2Tx nanosheets via ligands for enhanced charge transfer in photocatalytic H2 production

Abstract

Loading a co-catalyst is an effective approach for enhancing the performance of photocatalysts. In this study, we used a novel co-catalyst, Ti3C2Tx, to fabricate an efficient and cost-effective heterogeneous nanostructured catalyst based on CdS for photocatalytic hydrogen production via water splitting. The composite catalyst denoted as Ti3C2Tx-cys-CdS-x was synthesized through via hydrothermal treatment. The heterostructure of Ti3C2Tx-cys-CdS enabled the efficient separation and transfer of space charges during photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. With the aid of the l-cysteine, Ti3C2Tx and CdS form a unique covalently bonded structure that generates numerous heterojunctions and reactive sites for hydrogen production. The results indicated that Ti3C2Tx-cys-CdS-2 exhibits superior performance in photocatalytic hydrogen production, with a hydrogen evolution rate of 4275 μmol g−1 achieved in 2 h. This rate is 9.2 times higher than that obtained using pristine CdS as the catalyst.