Combination of polyoxotantalate and metal sulfide: A new-type noble-metal-free binary photocatalyst Na8Ta6O19/Cd0.7Zn0.3S for highly efficient visible-light-driven H2 evolution.

Graphical abstract Highlights • In this work, we represents the first attempt on combining polyoxotantalate with metal sulfide via simple hydrothermal method to get a new-type Na 8 Ta 6 O 19 /Cd 0.7 Zn 0.3 S composite photocatalysts for visible-light-driven H 2 production from water splitting. • The composite photocatalyst of Na 8 Ta 6 O 19 /Cd 0.7 Zn 0.3 S has excellent visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution performance with good stability. • The achievement provides a new strategy to develop highly efficient and new-type photocatalysts for the sustainable utilization of solar energy. Abstract Polyoxometalates have been emerged in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with attempt to get efficient, inexpensive, recyclable, and environmentally-benign photocatalysts. Here, it demonstrated that the combination of polyoxotantalates with metal sulfides can form none-noble-metal binary composite photocatalysts for efficient water splitting with visible-light. With the strategy, the first series of noble-metal-free composite photocatalysts based on the combination of hexatantalate Na 8 Ta 6 O 19 and metal sulfide Cd x Zn (1-x) S have been prepared and used as a heterogeneous photocatalyst. The Na 8 Ta 6 O 19 /Cd x Zn (1-x) S exhibits efficient hydrogen production activity, even without any cocatalysts. The maximum H 2 -evolution rate reaches 43.05 mmol h−1 g-1 (based on 10 mg catalyst) with the apparent quantum yield of 37% at 420 nm, which is the highest value ever reported so far for polyoxometalate-based photocatalysts to our knowledge. The achievement provides a new strategy to develop highly efficient and new-type photocatalysts for the sustainable utilization of solar energy by merging polyoxotantalate chemistry with photoredox catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]