Complexes Based on Zinc and Cadmium for Visible Light-Driven Hydrogen Production

Photocatalytic water decomposition using solar energy is one of the most effective hydrogen production technologies. The development of a structurally stable photocatalyst for hydrogen production without cocatalysts and photosensitizers remains a great challenge. In this paper, complex photocatalyst compounds 1 and 2 with different crystal structures were designed and obtained by connecting the 4′-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-4,2′:6′,4″-terpyridine organic ligands with Zn(Ac)2·2H2O and CdCO3. These products were used for photocatalytic hydrogen production separately, and the hydrogen production rates of compounds 1 and 2 were 0.66 mol·mol–1·h–1 and 0.12 mol·mol–1·h–1, respectively, without the addition of any cocatalysts and photosensitizers, and their charge separation and transfer processes were verified by PL, time-resolved PL, and photocurrent. Compound 1 was tested in 6 cycles over 18 h and showed high stability and reproducibility.