Fabrication of hierarchical CoP/ZnCdS/Co3O4 quantum dots
bi-heterostructure cages forefficient hydrogen evolution
Abstract
The design and construction of hierarchical CoP/ZnCdS/Co3O4 quantum dots
(QDs) (800>40>4.5 nm) bi-heterostructure cages
as an ultrahigh-performance photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution with
visible light is investigated. Three excellent photoactive materials
that ZnCdS solid solution, high-conductivity CoP and high-efficiency
Co3O4 QDs were integrated into a all-in-one bi-heterostructure cage
architecture. Presence of the two high-efficiency electron-transfer
pathways in CoP/ZnCdS/Co3O4 QDs can seriously facilitate the separation
and migration of light-induced electrons while the unique structure also
can offer large reaction surface and expose abundant active sites for
photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Because of the distinctively
compositional and structural merits, the hierarchical CoP/ZnCdS/Co3O4
QDs bi-heterostructure cages without introducing any cocatalysts exhibit
ultrahigh activity and favorable stability for generation of high-purity
hydrogen under visible light irradiation.