One-Step Solvothermal Synthesis of Petalous Carbon-Coated Cu-Doped CdS Nanocomposites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Metal ion doping and nanocoating a CdS photocatalyst have been proven to be effective strategies to inhibit photocorrosion and improve photocatalytic performance. In this study, carbon-coated Cu-doped CdS nanocomposites (C-Cu-CdS) with a stable petalous structure and highly uniform size distribution were successfully synthesized via a facile one-step solvothermal method. Both Cu doping and carbon coating to the CdS photocatalyst are realized in this one-step strategy. Benefiting from the unique core-shell structure and metal ion doping, the as-prepared C-Cu-CdS catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced photostability and visible-light-driven photocatalytic efficiency. For an optimal Cu doping percentage of 1.0%, an average hydrogen production rate of 2796 μmol h g and an apparent quantum efficiency of 16.0% at a wavelength of 420 nm was observed, the latter of which is nearly 9.3 times higher than that of the carbon-coated CdS product without Cu doping. The origin of the improved photocatalytic activity is systematically investigated by examining the effects of Cu doping.