Fabrication of hierarchical CdS nanosphere via one-pot process for photocatalytic water splitting

A hierarchical nanosphere assembled by CdS nanorods was fabricated via a simple one-pot hydrothermal route using (NH4)2MoS4, Cd(NO3)2 and ethanediamine as the initial reactant. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. According to control experiments, it can be deduced that the (NH4)2MoS4 and ethanediamine may be predominantly responsible for the formation of hierarchical architecture, and a potential mechanism based on cation exchange reaction was proposed. For further investigation of the photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared samples, photocatalytic water-splitting experiment was carried out. The hierarchical CdS synthesized in the origin mol ratio of Mo:Cd = 0.3:1.4 exhibited the best performance for photocatalytic water splitting, and the hierarchical CdS with unique morphology, compared with the isolated CdS nanorod, showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for water splitting arising from the intimate contact among CdS nanorods, incremental specific surface area and the high ratio of (002)/(100). A hierarchical nanosphere assembled by CdS nanorods was fabricated via cation exchange reaction and showed a superior photocatalytic water-splitting activity than isolated CdS.