A novel loading strategy of Mo-O/Mo-S cocatalysts based on the photocorrosion property of CdS.

To convert the disadvantages of CdS photocorrosion into the advantages of cocatalysts loading, a novel cocatalyst loading strategy combining photo-deposition and ion-exchange is designed to boost the photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance of CdS. [Display omitted] • Convert the disadvantages of CdS photocorrosion into the advantages of cocatalysts loading. • Design a novel loading strategy combining photocorrosion-deposition and ion-exchange. • Few-layer vertical-standing Mo-S nanofins can be facile formed on CdS. • The composite shows an ultrahigh-efficient photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance. The promoting role of cocatalysts is not only dependent on their physical and chemical properties, but also closely related to their loading methods and nanostructures. In this study, by converting the disadvantages of CdS photocorrosion into the advantages of cocatalysts loading, a novel cocatalyst loading strategy is adopted to promote the photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance of CdS. Using 1D CdS nanorods as primary photocatalyst, a limited amount of Mo-O cocatalyst (e.g. CdMoO 4 -MoO x) was in-situ deposited on the photocorrosive surface of CdS under intensive irradiation, and further transformed into few-layer Mo-S (e.g. MoS 2 -CdMoS 4) nanofins by a facile ion-exchange method. The as-synthesized CdS@MoS 2 -CdMoS 4 heterojunctions show a surprising "boiling" effect in visible-light-driven H 2 evolution process (∼40.3 mmol·h−1·g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]