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

Abstract

The synthesis of highly efficient\nand stable CdS composites without\nnoble metals has become a hotspot in the photocatalytic field. Although\nNiS is an ideal candidate, it remains a challenge to optimize the\ncombination of NiS and CdS to improve the photocatalytic activity\nfor hydrogen evolution. Herein, we have successfully synthesized a\nCdS@NiS photocatalyst using bimetallic metal–organic frameworks\n(MOFs) as the precursor. The formation of bimetallic Cd/Ni-MOFs can\nlead to well-contacted heterogeneous interfaces between CdS and NiS\nat the nanoscale, efficiently promoting the separation of photogenerated\ncarriers and boosting electron interface transfer. The obtained results\ndemonstrated that CdS@NiS exhibits a high photocatalytic hydrogen\nevolution rate of 42.7 mmol·g^–1·h^–1, and the corresponding apparent quantum yield reaches\n13.23% at 450 nm, superior to those obtained using the traditional\nsimple physical mixing methods. This work provides a promising strategy\nfor the design of new photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution.