Improved photocurrent response, photostability and photocatalytic hydrogen generation ability of CdS nanoparticles in presence of mesoporous carbon

Abstract Cadmium sulphide nanoparticles suffer an intrinsic disadvantage of photocorrosion as photocatalyst. The nanocomposites of mesoporous carbon and CdS nanoparticles improve photostability and minimise photocorrosion of CdS. The recombination of the photogenerated electron and hole which leading to photocorrosion in CdS is thereby prevented by the introduction of mesoporous carbon. The carbon percentage was gradually increased from 10 % to 40 % in the nanocomposites. The introduction of carbon enhances the stability and photocurrent response of the materials. The highly active porous carbon allows the cascading flow of the excitons from CdS restraining the recombination process and also boost up the electron flow which is evident from the increased photosensitivity and photostability. Moreover, the rate of photocatalytic H2 production from water in the presence of methanol as hole scavenger for nanocomposite was found to be much higher (37,641 μmol g−1 h−1) in comparison to pure CdS and carbon.