Oxygen-incorporation in Co2P as a non-noble metal cocatalyst to enhance photocatalysis for reducing water to H2 under visible light

Abstract Precious metal-free hybrid photocatalysts with low cost and high efficiency of photocatalytic H 2 evolution are of great significance for clean energy. Herein, we report that oxygen-incorporation in Co 2 P, a noble metal-free co-catalyst used for forming a hetero-structure photocatalyst CdS/o-Co 2 P, greatly improves the efficiency and durability for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water. Regulating the kinetics of water reduction by different oxygen incorporation levels (determined by phosphorization time) was investigated to optimize the activity of photocatalytic H 2 evolution. The intimate interaction between the CdS nanorods and cocatalyst o-Co 2 P enhances the separation of the photo-generated electron–hole pairs. Consequently, the optimal loading content of o-Co 2 P is 5 wt% for CdS, phosphorization time is 80 min, giving a photocatalytic H 2 production rate of 184.48 mmol g −1  h −1 , and the apparent quantum yield at 420 nm over CdS/o-Co 2 P-5 wt% reaches 22.17%. This study provides a simple method for constructing low cost and high performance photocatalysts, which enhance photocatalytic H 2 evolution.