Construction of CdS@UIO-66-NH 2 core-shell nanorods for enhanced photocatalytic activity with excellent photostability.

A novel class of CdS@UIO-66-NH2 core shell heterojunction was fabricated by the facile in-situ solvothermal method. Characterizations show that porous UIO-66-NH2 shell not only allows the visible light to be absorbed on CdS nanorod core, but also provides abundant catalytic active sites as well as an intimate heterojunction interface between UIO-66-NH2 shell and CdS nanorod core. By taking advantage of this property, the core-shell composite presents highly solar-driven photocatalytic performance compared with pristine UIO-66-NH2 and CdS nanorod for the degradation of organic dyes including malachite green (MG) and methyl orange (MO), and displays superior photostability after four recycles. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical performance of CdS@UIO-66-NH2 can be measured by the UV-vis spectra, Mott-Schottky plots and photocurrent. The remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity of CdS@UIO-66-NH2 can be ascribed to high surface areas, intimate interaction on molecular scale and the formation of one-dimensional heterojunction with n-n type. What's more, the core-shell heterostructural CdS@UIO-66-NH2 can facilitate the effective separation and transfer of the photoinduced interfacial electron-hole pairs and protect CdS nanorod core from photocorrosion.