Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Activity Driven by TiO2/(MoP/CdS): Insights from Powder Particles to Thin Films

Transitioning from powder photocatalysts to thin film photocatalysts is one of the necessary steps toward industrializing photocatalytic hydrogen production. Herein, we reported the integration of non-noble metal cocatalyst MoP decorated with TiO2 and CdS, forming TiO2/(MoP/CdS) for ultraviolet–visible light utilization. The designed powder TiO2/(MoP/CdS) composites achieved a superior hydrogen production rate of 42.2 mmol g–1 h–1, which is 30.1 times that of TiO2/CdS, performing the highest activity among the TiO2-CdS-based composite photocatalysts. Moreover, we fabricated a thin film from TiO2/(MoP/CdS) powder, which exhibited comparable photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production, achieving 35.5 mmol g–1 h–1 and maintaining long-term stability for 150 h. The outstanding performance was attributed to the ability of the TiO2/(MoP/CdS) composite photocatalysts to absorb both visible and ultraviolet light. Additionally, the heterojunction formed between TiO2 and CdS also played a significant role in the overall photocatalyst activity. This cost-effective catalyst holds promise for future large-scale industrial applications.