Surface sulphur vacancies of CdS/MIL-68(In)–NH2 for Boosting Visible-Light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

[Display omitted] •CdS/MIL-68(In)–NH2 photocatalytic material with sulfur vacancies was successfully synthesized via a facile two-step method.•The incorporation of MIL-68(In)–NH2 effectively enhanced the dispersion of CdS particles.•The presence of sulfur vacancies on the surface of CdS served as electron trapping levels, significantly improving charge separation efficiency. The incorporation of sulfur vacancies (SVs) during the synthesis of CdS represents an essential approach for enhancing its photocatalytic hydrogen production performance. The CdS/MIL-68(In)–NH2 photocatalytic material with SVs was successfully synthesized via a facile two-step method and employed for visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Among various loading ratios, the CdS(30)/MIL-68(In)–NH2 composite exhibited remarkable photocatalytic performance, demonstrating hydrogen evolution rates 3.7 times and 7.3 times higher than those of pure CdS and mechanically mixed CdS with MIL-68(In)–NH2, respectively, while maintaining significant photocatalytic stability. The incorporation of MIL-68(In)–NH2 effectively enhanced the dispersion of CdS particles, thereby increasing the availability of active sites for efficient photocatalytic reactions. Moreover, the presence of SVs on the surface of CdS served as electron trapping levels, significantly improving charge separation efficiency. This study not only provides novel insights into fabricating composite photocatalysts but also explores a defect engineering regulation strategy.