Solar-light-driven hydrogen production via noble-metal-free CdS/MoSe2/UiO-66-NH2 heterostructure photocatalyst

Abstract

A ternary CdS/MoSe<inf>2</inf>/UiO-66-NH<inf>2</inf> (CdS/MS/UN) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized as an efficient photocatalyst for H<inf>2</inf> production through water splitting. This CdS/MS/UN catalyst demonstrated enhanced H<inf>2</inf> evolution rates compared to the binary CdS/UN and the pure component; CdS and UN. The improved performance is attributed to the synergistic interactions among all three components. The inclusion of CdS extended the light absorption into the visible spectrum, thereby increasing photon utilization. Additionally, the presence of UN improved the surface area of the nanocomposite, which provided a matrix for heterojunction formation and generated more active sites for the reaction. Meanwhile, MS served as an electron sink and supplied active sites for proton adsorption, further enhancing charge separation and expanding visible light absorption. The optimal ternary nanocomposite, 60CdS/10MS/UN, achieved remarkable H<inf>2</inf> production rates of 15, 63.5, and 477 times higher than those of CdS/UN, CdS, and UN, respectively. Furthermore, the 60CdS/10MS/UN catalyst exhibited good stability and recyclability, maintaining 85 % of its activity after the fourth cycle. This work may broaden the horizon for synthesizing ternary photocatalysts for H<inf>2</inf> production via photocatalytic water splitting, using metal-organic frameworks as the base material, with property modification through efficient and cost-effective materials.