Morphology-preserved transformation of CdS hollow structures toward photocatalytic H2 evolution

Hollow-structured nanomaterials with complex interiors have drawn a great deal of attention due to their unique properties in various fields. Herein, we present the controllable synthesis of CdS hollow microspheres for photocatalytic H2 production. The quasi-emulsion microdroplets formed by glycerol-isopropanol mixed solution work as soft templates of the solid Cd-glycerol precursors, which offers a scaffold for the subsequent topological transformation of the hollow-structured CdS. In virtue of this, single-shelled and double-shelled CdS hollow microspheres could be attained by simply control the reaction time. Experimental results reveal that the double-shelled hollow structure endowed the CdS photocatalyst with better H2 production capability comparing to the single-shelled analogue. This work could offer a new approach toward the synthesis of complex hollow-structured nanomaterials with enhanced photoactivities.