In-suit photodeposition of MoS2 onto CdS quantum dots for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution.

A CdS/MoS 2 photocatalyst was fabricated via a facile photodeposition method for efficient H 2 generation. • MoS 2 is directly grown onto the CdS QD by a facile photodeposition method. • The intimate interfacial contact promotes the charge transfer between CdS and MoS 2. • The MoS 2 provide abundant catalytic sites for CdS QDs towards H 2 evolution. • The CdS/MoS 2 composites exhibit excellent catalytic performance. Photocatalytic hydrogen (H 2) production from water is an appealing approach to alleviate the ever-increasing fossil fuel crisis. The development of visible-light-driven photocatalytic system is an essential task for H 2 generation. CdS quantum dots (QDs) are excellent candidate for photocatalytic H 2 generation. However, the photocatalytic performance of CdS QDs is largely limited by serious charge recombination and photocorrison problems. Herein, we developed a facile method for photodeposition of MoS 2 onto CdS QDs. The in-suit photodeposition approach enables thin-layered MoS 2 to be intimately decorated onto the CdS QD surface. The intimate contact favors the formation of junctions between CdS and MoS 2 , thus promoting charge separation in CdS/MoS 2. Furthermore, the MoS 2 catalysts can provide highly active catalytic sites for H 2 evolution and serve as protective layer for CdS to restrict photocorrison. The resulted CdS/MoS 2 photocatalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity: the H 2 generation rate reaches 13129 μmol h−1 g−1, which is 7.2 times higher than that of the pristine CdS-S QDs. The CdS/MoS 2 photocatalysts also possess superior photocatalytic durability under visible light. This work provides a novel method for in-suit growth of MoS 2 onto QDs. The surface modification strategy presented here offers new opportunities for developing new-types of photocatalysts based on QDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]