NIR light driven catalytic hydrogen generation over semiconductor photocatalyst coupling up-conversion component

Solar irradiation spectrum on the earth consists of about 50% infrared energy, which has not used effectively in chemical storage and conversion into hydrogen via photocatalytic route. In this work, we reported the catalytic hydrogen generation over a photocatalyst consisting of semiconductor CdS and an up-conversion component NaYF4-Yb3+-Er3+(NYF) under infrared light irradiation. Under 980 nm laser irradiation, the input infrared light was up-converted into visible light, which was used to excite CdS to produce hydrogen and oxygen. The isotope experiments confirmed both of hydrogen and oxygen were produced from water. The highest hydrogen evolution rate of 3.38 μmol g−1 h−1 has been achieved. 0.008% of AQE under NIR light irradiation has been approached.