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Superior Photocatalytic H 2 Production with Cocatalytic Co/Ni Species Anchored on Sulfide Semiconductor
Author(s) -
Zhao Guixia,
Sun Yubin,
Zhou Wei,
Wang Xiangke,
Chang Kun,
Liu Guigao,
Liu Huimin,
Kako Tetsuya,
Ye Jinhua
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201703258
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , materials science , sulfide , metal , platinum , transition metal , ligand (biochemistry) , catalysis , photochemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , biochemistry , receptor
Downsizing transition metal‐based cocatalysts on semiconductors to promote photocatalytic efficiency is important for research and industrial applications. This study presents a novel and facile strategy for anchoring well‐dispersed metal species on CdS surface through controlled decarboxylation of the ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) ligand in the metal–EDTA (M–EDTA) complex and CdS mixture precursor to function as a cocatalyst in the photocatalytic H 2 evolution. Microstructure characterization and performance evaluation reveal that under visible light the resulting pentacoordinated Co(II) and hexacoordinated Ni(II) on CdS exhibits a high activity of 3.1 mmol h −1 (with turnover frequency (TOF) of 626 h −1 and apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 56.2% at 420 nm) and 4.3 mmol h −1 (with TOF of 864 h −1 and AQE of 67.5% at 420 nm), respectively, toward cocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and the cocatalytic activity of such a hexacoordinated Ni(II) even exceeds that of platinum. Further mechanistic study and theoretical modeling indicate that the fully utilized Co(II)/Ni(II) active sites, efficient charge transfer, and favorable kinetics guarantee the efficient activities. This work introduces a promising precursor, i.e., M–EDTA for planting well‐dispersed transition metal species on the sulfide supports by a facile wet‐chemistry approach, providing new opportunities for photocatalytic H 2 production at the atomic/molecular scale.