In-situ constructing cobalt incorporated nitrogen-doped carbon/CdS heterojunction with efficient interfacial charge transfer for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Designing an efficient heterojunction interface is an effective way to promote the electrons' transfer and improve the photocatalytic H2 evolution performance. In this work, a novel hollow hybrid system of Co@NC/CdS has been fabricated and constructed. CdS nanospheres are anchored on the hollow-structured cobalt incorporated nitrogen-doped carbon (Co@NC) through a one-pot in-situ chemical deposition approach, forming an intimate interface and establishing an excellent channel to improve the electrons transfer and charge carriers separation between CdS and Co@NC cocatalyst, which immensely promotes the photocatalytic activity. The rate of photocatalytic H2 evolution over hollow structured Co@NC/CdS heterojunction can be achieved 8.2 mmol g−1 h−1, which is about 45 times of pristine CdS nanospheres. The photocatalytic H2 evolution mechanism has been investigated by the techniques of photoluminescence (PL) spectra, photocurrent-time (i-t) curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) etc. This work aims to provide a new way in developing of high-performance advanced 3D heterojunction for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.