CdS Deposited In Situ on g-C₃N₄ via a Modified Chemical Bath Deposition Method to Improve Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Ultra-thin two-dimensional materials are attracting widespread interest due to their excellent properties, and they are becoming ideal candidates for a variety of energy and environmental photocatalytic applications. Herein, CdS nanorods are successfully grown in situ between a monolayer of g-C3N4 using a chemical water bath method. Continuous ultrasound is introduced during the preparation process, which effectively prevents the accumulation of a g-C3N4 layer. The g-C3N4@CdS nanocomposite exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production under visible-light irradiation, which is attributed to a well-matched band structure and an intimate van der Waals heterojunction interface. The mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen production is discussed in detail. Moreover, our work can serve as a basis for the construction of other highly catalytically active two-dimensional heterostructures.

Keywords

• monolayer g-C₃N₄
• CdS
• heterojunction
• photocatalytic hydrogen production