Nanostructured Sulfides: Synthesis and Applications in Hydrogen Generation

Hydrogen is considered to be a next generation of energy carrier due to its environmentally friendly and renewable characteristics. Among many techniques for hydrogen production, photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor materials is a promising pathway where abundant solar light is utilized. From the prospect of solar light utilization, development of efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts is critically needed. In recent years, nanostructured sulfides with a suitable band structure have attracted extensive attention because their properties remarkably distinguish from those of their bulk counterparts. In this minireview, emphasis is placed on recent research progress towards the design, preparation, and modification of nanostructured sulfides for photocatalytic splitting of water into hydrogen. These sulfides are classified into three categories: 1) CdS-based nanostructures; 2) ZnS-based nanostructures; and 3) other nanostructured sulfides. Their excellent performances in photocatalytic hydrogen production are discussed in detail by correlating with the features of relevant nanostructures.