Bimetallic MOF-Derived Sulfides with Heterojunction Interfaces Synthesized for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

The synthesis of highly efficient and stable CdS composites without noble metals has become a hotspot in the photocatalytic field. Although NiS is an ideal candidate, it remains a challenge to optimize the combination of NiS and CdS to improve the photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution. Herein, we have successfully synthesized a CdS@NiS photocatalyst using bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as the precursor. The formation of bimetallic Cd/Ni-MOFs can lead to well-contacted heterogeneous interfaces between CdS and NiS at the nanoscale, efficiently promoting the separation of photogenerated carriers and boosting electron interface transfer. The obtained results demonstrated that CdS@NiS exhibits a high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 42.7 mmol·g–1·h–1, and the corresponding apparent quantum yield reaches 13.23% at 450 nm, superior to those obtained using the traditional simple physical mixing methods. This work provides a promising strategy for the design of new photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution.