Self-Templated Synthesis of Nanoporous CdS Nanostructures for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production under Visible Light

Nanoporous CdS nanostructures, including nanosheets and hollow nanorods, have been prepared by a two-step aqueous route, which consists of a first precipitation of nanoporous Cd(OH)2 intermediates and a subsequent S2−/OH− ion-exchange conversion of the obtained Cd(OH)2 used as template either to nanoporous CdS nanosheets with sizes up to 60 nm and an average thickness of about 9 nm or to CdS hollow nanorods with lengths up to 30 nm and outer diameters in the range 7–14 nm. The obtained CdS nanostructures containing nanopores with diameters of ∼3 nm exhibit a very large BET surface area of about 112.8 m2 g−1. A very high hydrogen yield of about 4.1 mmol h−1 under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm),…