Interfacial CoS bond-enhanced Mn0.3Cd0.7S/CoPB Schottky junction for photothermal-assisted photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Herein, a Mn 0.3 Cd 0.7 S/CoPB (MCS/CPB) composite with an interfacial Co S bond is successfully fabricated via an ultrasonic-assisted grinding method, forming a Schottky junction. The optimized MCS/CPB-5 achieves a remarkable hydrogen evolution rate of 96.8 ± 0.4 mmol g −1  h −1 under visible light, which is 4.12 times greater than that of pristine MCS. The integration of CoPB enhances near-infrared light absorption and photothermal conversion, thereby promoting efficient charge carrier separation and utilization. The formation of the Schottky junction suppresses charge recombination by facilitating directional electron transfer across the interface. Characterizations including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations confirm the presence of Co S bonding and elucidated the charge transfer pathway. This study presents a promising strategy for designing non-noble metal-based photocatalysts with improved hydrogen evolution performance through synergistic photothermal and interfacial engineering.