NiCoP nanoparticles anchored on CdS nanorods for enhanced hydrogen production by visible lightdriven formic acid dehydrogenation

Photocatalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA), HCOOH -> H-2 + CO2, is a promising strategy for hydrogen production. Although tremendous efforts have been made, developing efficient and robust system driven by visible light without noble metal still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we report for the first time the use of NiCoP nanoparticles anchored on CdS nanorods (NiCoP@CdS NRs) as a highly efficient and robust catalyst for photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation. NiCoP nanoparticles as cocatalyst can effectively separate the electron-hole pairs generated by CdS NRs. The H-2 production rate of the NiCoP@CdS nanorods reached similar to 354 mu mol mg(-1) h(-1) under visible light irradiation (lambda > 420 nm) and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) was similar to 45.5 % at 420 nm which are among the best values ever reported in photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation systems. This work provides a prospective strategy for developing noble-metal-free photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation systems and hydrogen-based energy applications. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.