Sulfurated [NiFe]-based layered double hydroxides nanoparticles as efficient co-catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using CdTe/CdS quantum dots

Binary transition metals layered double hydroxides (LDH) such as [NiFe] have been developed as the promising low cost and high performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution. However their applications as co-catalysts in photocatalysis like CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) for hydrogen evolution are limited by their ineffective contact with QDs nanoparticles. We report on the synthesis of the sulfurated [NiFe]-LDH (FeNiS) nanoparticles via the sulfurizing treatment of [NiFe]-based LDH. The sulfurizing treatment can successfully break the 2D [NiFe]-LDH into FeNiS nanoparticles by replacing the OH group via the S group. FeNiS nanoparticles provide more bonding sites for CdTe/CdS QDs due to the sulfur species formed on the FeNiS nanoparticles. The junction between sulfur species and Cd2+ of CdTe/CdS QDs could facilitate electrons transfer between CdTe/CdS QDs and FeNiS nanoparticles and then significantly enhance their photocatalytic hydrogen production. The photocatalytic activity of FeNiS-CdTe/CdS is much better than [NiFe]-CdTe/CdS QDs and Pt-CdTe/CdS QDs. In all, this novel FeNiS nanoparticles would be a promising low cost co-catalyst for energy and environmental photocatalysis.