Aerobic Conditions Enhance the Photocatalytic Stability of CdS/CdO(x) Quantum Dots

Photocatalytic H(2) production through water splitting represents an attractive route to generate a renewable fuel. These systems are typically limited to anaerobic conditions due to the inhibiting effects of O(2). Here, we report that sacrificial H(2) evolution with CdS quantum dots does not necessarily suffer from O(2) inhibition and can even be stabilised under aerobic conditions. The introduction of O(2) prevents a key inactivation pathway of CdS (over‐accumulation of metallic Cd and particle agglomeration) and thereby affords particles with higher stability. These findings represent a possibility to exploit the O(2) reduction reaction to inhibit deactivation, rather than catalysis, offering a strategy to stabilise photocatalysts that suffer from similar degradation reactions.