The solar-driven evolution of hydrogen from water using particulate photocatalysts is considered one of the most economical and promising protocols for achieving a stable supply of renewable energy. However, the efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting is far from satisfactory due to the sluggish electron-hole pair separation kinetics. Herein, isolated Mo atoms in a high oxidation state have been incorporated into the lattice of Cd0.5 Zn0.5 S (CZS@Mo) nanorods, which exhibit photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 11.32 mmol g-1 h-1 (226.4 μmol h-1 ; catalyst dosage 20 mg). Experimental and theoretical simulation results imply that the highly oxidized Mo species lead to mobile-charge imbalances in CZS and induce the directional photogenerated electrons transfer, resulting in effectively inhibited electron-hole recombination and greatly enhanced photocatalytic efficiency.
Keywords: Electron Pump; High-Oxidation State; Photocatalysis; Single-Atom Catalysts; Water Splitting.
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