Porous CoxP nanosheets decorated Mn0.35Cd0.65S nanoparticles for highly enhanced noble-metal-free photocatalytic H2 generation

Incorporating 2D transition-metal phosphides into visible-light-driven semiconductors is fascinating for advancing novel photocatalysts. In this paper, porous Co x P nanosheets prepared by phosphating Co(OH) 2 nanosheets are coupled with Mn 0.35 Cd 0.65 S nanoparticles for significantly boosted photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance. The optimal Co x P/Mn 0.35 Cd 0.65 S hybrids show an excellent visible-light H 2 production rate of 7188.9 μmol g −1 h −1 upon visible light with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 18.9% at 420 nm. The H 2 production rate of the 5% Co x P/Mn 0.35 Cd 0.65 S sample is about 257 times bare CdS and even 18 times higher than pristine Mn 0.35 Cd 0.65 S. This dramatic photocatalytic H 2 generation activity is mainly ascribed to the efficient charge transfer and abundant active sites by introducing the porous Co x P nanosheets . The photocatalytic mechanism of the Co x P/Mn 0.35 Cd 0.65 S composites is investigated by the photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), electrochemical, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) tests. This work presents a viable strategy to design a 2D/0D hybrid system containing porous cobalt phosphides nanosheets and MnCdS solid solutions for noble-metal-free photocatalytic application.