Nano core-shell Mn0.5Cd0.5S@ copper phthalocyanine heterojunction structured with high hydrogen production efficiency

The core-shell structure photocatalysts have attracted extensive attention in photocatalysis due to large contact area, multiple reaction sites and high photocatalytic performance. Herein, a series of Mn0.5Cd0.5S@CuPc nano core-shell composites photocatalyst were successfully synthesized by facile solution method. The results showed that the as-prepared Mn0.5Cd0.5S photocatalyst hydrogen evolution was only 0.40 mmol/g·h, while Mn0.5Cd0.5S@CuPc composites show strong light absorption from 600 nm to 800 nm and high catalytic performance compared with pure Mn0.5Cd0.5S. Notably, the hydrogen evolution of Mn0.5Cd0.5S @CuPc-5% reached up to 2.14 mmol/(g·h), representing a remarkable 5.35 times improvement compared to the pure Mn0.5Cd0.5S when the optimal loading capacity of CuPc was set at 5%. The Mn0.5Cd0.5S@CuPc-5% exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the CuPc forms a uniform molecular film on the surface of Mn0.5Cd0.5S, and the close contact between Mn0.5Cd0.5S and CuPc which can effectively promote the transfer and separation of photo-generated carriers. Moreover, the 5% Mn0.5Cd0.5S@CuPc nano core-shell composites have excellent stability, photocatalyst hydrogen activity reduce was approximately 20.1% after four runs for 12 h. This nano core-shell structure photocatalyst research offers a new strategy for constructing organic-inorganic nanocomposite photocatalysts.