CdS@h-BN heterointerface construction on reduced graphene oxide nanosheets for hydrogen production

Ternary CdS@h-BN/rGO heterostructure with superhigh photocurrent density and fast interfacial conductivity for hydrogen production under simulated solar light. [Display omitted] •Structural reconstruction strategy was proposed to construct a ternary CdS@h-BN/rGO catalyst.•The CdS@h-BN heterointerface promoted the electron transfer between h-BN and CdS under photoinduction.•Superhigh photocurrent density was generated on this ternary catalyst under simulated solar light.•This ternary catalyst represented remarkably enhanced HER activity under simulated solar light.•This ternary catalyst represented excellent regenerability and durability. Solar light driven hydrogen evolution is a prospective strategy to solve the energy problem. However, the poor photoresponse, low photocurrent density and easy electron-hole recombination remarkably restrict the HER activity of the conventional photocatalyst. Herein, we constructed a CdS@hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) heterostructure on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to synthesize a ternary CdS@h-BN/rGO catalyst via a structural reconstruction strategy. The CdS@h-BN heterointerface promoted the electrons transferring to the CdS active centers from the valence band of h-BN under photoinduction, overcoming the wide bandgap defect of pristine h-BN. The easily photoexcited property of CdS cocatalyst resulted in superhigh photocurrent density (2.7·μA cm−2) under simulated solar light, which was 3.3-fold greater of pristine CdS NPs. Meanwhile, the interfacial interactions of three components remarkably restrained the carriers recombination. Hence, the resultant ternary hybrid catalyst presented remarkably improved photoresponse and interfacial conductivity, thereby the optimal catalyst represented remarkably enhanced HER activity (6465.33 μmol h−1 g−1) under simulated solar light, which was about 10.9-fold greater of the pristine CdS NPs and 218.3-fold greater of the optimal h-BN/rGO hybrid. About 19.8 % of apparent quantum yield was achieved under illumination of λ =420 nm, and the excellent regenerability and durability were represented during six cycles and 20 h of continued illumination. Thereby, this study provides a prospective idea for constructing low-cost nonprecious metal based photocatalyst with highly efficient HER performance.