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

The development of photocatalysts with high charge separation efficiency and visible-light-harvesting capacity is still a great challenge. In this work, we report a simple hydrothermal treatment to decorate the CdS nanowires (NWs) with co-catalyst Cu 2 MoS 4 nanosheets (NSs) for photocatalytic H 2 evolution reaction (HER). Especially when the molar ratio of Cu 2 MoS 4 to CdS is 3%, the Cu 2 MoS 4 /CdS shows excellent visible light-driven H 2 evolution activity (1967.83 μmol g –1 h –1 ), which is 18.8 times higher than that of pure CdS. Structural characterizations demonstrate a well-designed structure of the Cu 2 MoS 4 /CdS, in which Cu 2 MoS 4 NSs are tightly attached onto the CdS NWs to form a heterojunction. The optical property reveals that the 3%-Cu 2 MoS 4 /CdS nanocomposite displayed distinguished visible-light absorption capacity. Combined with the data analysis of the photoluminescence spectra, photocurrents, and electrochemical impedance spectra, it can be proved that there is effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in 3%-Cu 2 MoS 4 /CdS nanocomposite. All these factors synergistically boost the photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance of the Cu 2 MoS 4 /CdS, providing a new concept for the rational design of highly efficient visible-light-driven sulfide photocatalysts.