Spatially separated CdS hollow spheres with interfacial charge transfer and cocatalyst for enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract To improve the efficiency of photocatalytic H 2 evolution, comprehensive utilization of constructing heterojunction, designing structure and loading cocatalyst is imperative. In this study, a novel hollow sphere photocatalyst (MnO x /CdS/CuS) driven by constructing CdS/CuS heterojunction induced interfacial charge transfer (IFCT) and loading MnO x as cocatalyst was realized. CuS is deposited on the outside of the CdS shell, and MnO x is anchored on the inside, thus photoinduced electrons and holes were spatially separated due to this hollow spherical structure. As expected, the H 2 evolution rate of MnO x /CdS/CuS is 18 times higher than that of pure CdS, besides, MnO x /CdS/CuS exhibited excellent stability in cycle experiments. This work opens a rational direction for design spatially separated photocatalytic systems to enhance photocatalytic H 2 evolution.