Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Activity\nDriven by TiO<sub>2</sub>/(MoP/CdS): Insights from Powder Particles\nto Thin Films

Transitioning\nfrom powder photocatalysts to thin film photocatalysts\nis one of the necessary steps toward industrializing photocatalytic\nhydrogen production. Herein, we reported the integration of non-noble\nmetal cocatalyst MoP decorated with TiO<sub>2</sub> and CdS, forming\nTiO<sub>2</sub>/(MoP/CdS) for ultraviolet–visible light utilization.\nThe designed powder TiO<sub>2</sub>/(MoP/CdS) composites achieved\na superior hydrogen production rate of 42.2 mmol g<sup>–1</sup> h<sup>–1</sup>, which is 30.1 times that of TiO<sub>2</sub>/CdS, performing the highest activity among the TiO<sub>2</sub>-CdS-based\ncomposite photocatalysts. Moreover, we fabricated a thin film from\nTiO<sub>2</sub>/(MoP/CdS) powder, which exhibited comparable photocatalytic\nactivity for hydrogen production, achieving 35.5 mmol g<sup>–1</sup> h<sup>–1</sup> and maintaining long-term stability for 150\nh. The outstanding performance was attributed to the ability of the\nTiO<sub>2</sub>/(MoP/CdS) composite photocatalysts to absorb both\nvisible and ultraviolet light. Additionally, the heterojunction formed\nbetween TiO<sub>2</sub> and CdS also played a significant role in\nthe overall photocatalyst activity. This cost-effective catalyst holds\npromise for future large-scale industrial applications.