In situ constructed B-CdS/Cd Schottky junctions for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction under visible light

CdS with a visible light response and energy band location suitable for CO 2 photoreduction has received extensive attention. However, low product selectivity and photocatalytic efficiency limit its application. Here, NaBH 4 is used as a reducing agent to generate Cd metal on the surface of CdS nanorods in situ. This leads to the construction of a B-CdS/Cd metal cocatalyst/semiconductor structure. This configuration significantly enhanced the CdS's activity of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction. The Cd metal which is on the surface of CdS nanorods promoted the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges and increased both light photosensitivity and CO 2 adsorption capabilities. The improved B-CdS/Cd catalyst shows excellent CO 2 reduction capabilities by generating CO at a rate of 323.39 μmol g   −   1 h   −   1 , which is 2.01 times more than pure CdS, owing to the synergistic enhancements. Simultaneously, Cd acts as an active site inhibiting H 2 production during the CO 2 reduction reaction. This work demonstrates the potential of Cd metal as a metal cocatalyst in photocatalytic CO 2 reduction.