Cu2MoS4/CdS Nanosheet-Modified Nanowire Nanocomposites for Significantly Improved Visible Light-Driven Photocatalytic H2 Evolution Activity

The development of photocatalysts with high charge separationefficiencyand visible-light-harvesting capacity is still a great challenge.In this work, we report a simple hydrothermal treatment to decoratethe CdS nanowires (NWs) with co-catalyst Cu2MoS4 nanosheets (NSs) for photocatalytic H-2 evolution reaction(HER). Especially when the molar ratio of Cu2MoS4 to CdS is 3%, the Cu2MoS4/CdS shows excellentvisible light-driven H-2 evolution activity (1967.83 & mu;molg(-1) h(-1)), which is 18.8 timeshigher than that of pure CdS. Structural characterizations demonstratea well-designed structure of the Cu2MoS4/CdS,in which Cu2MoS4 NSs are tightly attached ontothe CdS NWs to form a heterojunction. The optical property revealsthat the 3%-Cu2MoS4/CdS nanocomposite displayeddistinguished visible-light absorption capacity. Combined with thedata analysis of the photoluminescence spectra, photocurrents, andelectrochemical impedance spectra, it can be proved that there iseffective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairsin 3%-Cu2MoS4/CdS nanocomposite. All these factorssynergistically boost the photocatalytic H-2 evolution performanceof the Cu2MoS4/CdS, providing a new conceptfor the rational design of highly efficient visible-light-driven sulfidephotocatalysts.