1D/3D CdS NRs/Zn-MOF S-scheme heterostructure for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Finding extremely effective and robust photocatalysts is crucial to achieving solar-driven hydrogen evolution. This study successfully constructed CdS NRs/Zn-MOF S-scheme heterojunctions with a built-in electric field by physically blending one-dimensional CdS nanorods with three-dimensional Zn-MOF. Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution experiments demonstrate that the optimized CdS NRs/Zn-MOF-15 composite exhibits outstanding hydrogen production performance (13.61 mmol g −1 h −1 ). The effective development of the heterointerface, where CdS nanorods firmly bonded to the Zn-MOF surface produced a 1D/3D heterostructure, was validated by characterization using XRD, SEM, and TEM. By combining in-situ XPS analysis, DFT calculations, and EPR, the study revealed the oriented electron transfer pathways within the CdS nanorod/Zn-MOF-15 heterojunction, indicating that an S-scheme heterojunction had been effectively formed. This work has a significant impact on expanding knowledge of charge transfer mechanisms at composite interfaces and offers new insights for building 1D/3D S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.