Effect of Co-catalyst CdS on the Photocatalytic Performance of ZnMoO4 for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Zinc molybdate (ZnMoO₄), a layer perovskite material, has the advantages of high stability, excellent optical and charge properties. However, its high band gap and high electron–hole recombination efficiency limit its application in the photocatalytic reduction field like hydrogen production. In this study, we used CdS as a co-catalyst and successfully prepared CdS/ZnMoO₄ composite photocatalysts with different loadings. The hydrogen evolution rate of CdS/ZnMoO₄ reached 530.2 µmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹, which was approximately 11 and 100 times more than rates of pure CdS and ZnMoO₄ under the same conditions, respectively. It is the presence of CdS that contributed to this improved performance, which acted as an electron acceptor to separate electrons and holes. Besides, a reasonable mechanism was provided based on photoelectrochemical characterizations. CdS loading greatly improved the hydrogen evolution performance of ZnMoO₄ under visible light, providing a direction to improving the performance of perovskite based photocatalysts.