CdS@Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nanorods@nanosheets for boosted photocatalytic H2 generation rate and stability under visible light irradiation

H-2 generation from solar-driven water splitting has attracted significant interest and has promising to be applied. However, it is still a great challenge in terms of how to fabricate efficient photocatalyst by employing a low-cost and green approach. Herein, we report a novel core@shell heterostructure CdS@Ni-3(NO3)(2)(OH)(4) that was synthesized by using a facile solvothermal approach without any stabilizer usage. In this structure, the 2D Ni-3(NO3)(2)(OH)(4) nanosheet shell was intimately grown on the outside of 1D CdS nanorod core. This unique structure not only shortens and broadens the charge transfer path from interior to surface but also promotes charge separation and transportation across interfaces. In addition, the Ni-3(NO3)(2)(OH)(4) can prohibit CdS from photo and chemical corrosion to some degree. As a result, the optimized CdS@Ni-3(NO3)(2)(OH)(4) heterostructure exhibits an H-2 generation rate of 26.82 mmol g(-1) h(-1) much higher than that of pristine CdS (26.82 vs. 0.35 mmol g(-1) h(-1)) while maintaining long-term stability with no obvious deterioration of photocatalytic activity in 20 h reaction.