Construction of Ternary ZIF‐8/CdS/Ni(OH) <sub>2</sub> Heterojunction S‐Scheme Photocatalyst for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production
Nageshwarrao Chanda, Nithin Kumar Banoth, Ch. Appala Naidu, Mohsen Ahmadipour, Ujjwal Pal
Abstract
The convergence of renewable energy technologies, environmental sustainability, and circular economy principles presents a strategic approach to addressing today's pressing ecological challenges. In this context, a novel ternary photocatalyst composite, CZN@XmM comprising CdS nanorods, zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8), and Ni(OH) 2 was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The stepwise fabrication involved the formation of CdS nanorods, growth of ZIF‐8 to form a CdS/ZIF‐8 hybrid, and integration of Ni(OH) 2 to complete the CdS/ZIF‐8/Ni(OH) 2 (CZN@XmM) composite. This heterostructure is believed to be a S‐scheme photocatalyst, exhibited superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance under simulated solar light. Among the CZN@XmM photocatalyst composite variants, CZN@25 mM showed the highest hydrogen evolution rate of 5.6 mmol g −1 h −1 , approximately six times greater than pristine CdS and an apparent quantum yield of 7.45%. Furthermore, photoelectrochemical analysis confirmed an efficient charge transfer mechanism between CdS and Ni(OH) 2 , offering valuable insight into the composite's enhanced photocatalytic activity. This article presents a promising approach for engineering high‐performance heterostructure photocatalysts and makes a significant contribution to the advancement of sustainable, solar‐driven hydrogen production technologies.