Effective shuttling of photoexcitons on CdS/NiO core/shell photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

Abstract Hierarchical structure of NiO immobilized on CdS photocatalyst (CdS/NiO) was synthesized for stable and efficient H 2 production. The catalyst is designed to suppress the photo-corrosion behaviour without affecting catalytic activity of CdS structures having tamarind leaf-like morphology is protected by fabricating thin-layer of NiO. The exterior thin-layer transmits the light into CdS in-turn exciton moved to surface for reaction with adsorbed reactant species. Structural, morphological and optical properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible light (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results illustrates that synthesized catalyst composed of crystalline CdS/NiO hierarchical structure that absorbs light in the visible spectrum and improved charge carrier separation than CdS or NiO alone. The photocatalytic activity was examined for H 2 generation under visible light irradiation using Xe-lamp as light source. In order to achieve enhanced H2 production rate amount of NiO loading was optimized and results were found in the following order CdS/NiO > CdS. Under optimal conditions the catalyst showed stable H2 evolution for 30 h of continuous irradiation. Under optimal conditions catalyst showed visible light to H2 conversion efficiency of 6.63%.