Metal Mesh and Narrow Band Gap Mn0.5Cd0.5S Photocatalyst Cooperation for Efficient Hydrogen Production

A novel co-catalyst system under visible-light irradiation was constructed using high-purity metal and alloy mesh and a Mn0.5Cd0.5S photocatalyst with a narrow band gap (1.91 eV) prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The hydrogen production rate of Mn0.5Cd0.5S changed from 2.21 to 6.63 mmol·(g·h)−1with the amount of thioacetamide, which was used as the sulphur source. The introduction of Ag, Mo, Ni, Cu, and Cu–Ni alloy meshes efficiently improved the H2production rate of the co-catalyst system, especially for the Ni mesh. The improvement can reach an approximately six times greater production, with the highest H2production rate being 37.65 mmol·(g·h)−1. The results showed that some bulk non-noble metal meshes can act as good or better than some noble metal nanoparticles deposited on the main photocatalyst for H2evolution due to the promotion of photoinduced electron transfer, increase in redox reaction sites, and prevention of the recombination of carriers.Keywords:co-catalyst system;Mn0.5Cd0.5S;metal and alloy mesh;H2evolution;photoinduced electron transfer