Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Z-Scheme Hydrogen Production over Oxygen-Deficient WO(3–x) Nanorods supported Zn(0.3)Cd(0.7)S Heterostructure

The demand for clean renewable energy is increasing due to depleting fossil fuels and environmental concerns. Photocatalytic hydrogen production through water splitting is one such promising route to meet global energy demands with carbon free technology. Alternative photocatalysts avoiding noble metals are highly demanded. Herein, we fabricated heterostructure consist of oxygen-deficient WO(3–x) nanorods with Zn(0.3)Cd(0.7)S nanoparticles for an efficient Z-Scheme photocatalytic system. Our as obtained heterostructure showed photocatalytic H(2) evolution rate of 352.1 μmol h(−1) with apparent quantum efficiency (AQY) of 7.3% at λ = 420 nm. The photocatalytic hydrogen production reaches up to 1746.8 μmol after 5 hours process in repeatable manner. The UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra show strong absorption in the visible region which greatly favors the photocatalytic performance. Moreover, the efficient charge separation suggested by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photocurrent response curves exhibit enhancement in H(2) evolution rate. The strong interface contact between WO(3–x) nanorods and Zn(0.3)Cd(0.7)S nanoparticles ascertained from HRTEM images also play an important role for the emigration of electron. Our findings provide possibilities for the design and development of new Z-scheme photocatalysts for highly efficient hydrogen production.