Construction of Ternary ZIF‐8/CdS/Ni(OH) ₂ Heterojunction S‐Scheme Photocatalyst for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production

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.