Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Splitting of Water into Hydrogen over Surface-Fluorinated Anatase TiO2 Nanosheets with Exposed {001} Facets/Layered CdS–Diethylenetriamine Nanobelts

Cadmium sulfide (CdS), is one of the superior visible-light-driven photocatalysts, and has a prosperous and practical future in hydrogen (H2) production from water splitting for addressing environmental problems, such as environmental contamination and energy shortage. But the inherent serious drawback of photocorrision always limits its photocatalytic performance. Here, we fabricated a layered nanojunction to enhance the H2 generation of the surface-fluorinated TiO2/CdS–diethylenetriamine (F–TiO2/CdS–DETA) system. The loading of F–TiO2 nanosheets (NSs) with exposed {001} facets on inorganic–organic CdS–DETA nanobelts (NBs) greatly improves the interfacial contact. The layered nanojunction structure efficiently inhibits the charge carriers' recombination and enhances the H2 production stability of CdS. At an optimal ratio of 30%F–TiO2, the F–TiO2/CdS–DETA composite exhibits the highest H2 production rate of 8342.86 μmol h–1 g–1, which is 6.6 times and 1.7 times as high as that of CdS nanoparticles and CdS–DETA NBs, respectively. The apparent quantum yield of the H2 evolution system reaches 24.9% at 420 nm with a Pt cocatalyst. More importantly, the surface of the F–TiO2 nanosheets enriches a large amount of trapping centers of photogenerated holes, which can thus efficiently promote the charge carriers' separation and enhance the photocatalytic H2 evolution of CdS–DETA. Also, the effective charges transfer route of F–TiO2/CdS–DETA is also demonstrated by a photoluminescence test and photocurrent response. This work provides an ideal model for the design of stable and efficient H2 production photocatalysts.