Asymmetric Zn0.5Cd0.5S Loading of CoSx for Full-Space Electric Field Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Synergistic Organic Synthesis

The simultaneous generation of clean H2 fuel and high-value compounds will improve the utilization efficiency of solar energy. However, conventional photocatalysts often exhibit slow dynamics of photogenerated charge carriers and insufficient utilization of visible light. Herein, the hollow cage CoSx modified asymmetric Zn0.5Cd0.5S (ZCS) nanoparticles of CoSx/ZCS samples are effectively synthesized, and they exhibit the synergistic effects of the bulk electric field (BEF) and local surface electric field (LSEF). Thus, the photogenerated electrons in the [Zn–S] region are guided through the [Cd–S] region, ultimately migrating directionally to the hollow cage CoSx. Notably, the catalyst of 1.6%-CoSx/ZCS exhibits yields of 20.1 mmol·g–1·h–1 for hydrogen production and 35.2 mmol·g–1·h–1 for benzaldehyde (BAD), which are 3.79-fold and 4.57-fold, respectively, compared to the original ZCS catalyst. This advancement marks a significant improvement in directing charge flow and facilitating the utilization of visible light to enhance photocatalytic efficacy.