Structural amine-induced interfacial electrical double layers for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution

Abstract

The efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is fundamentally constrained by limited charge carrier separation. Herein, we deliberately engineered an electric double layer (EDL) via surface modification with positively charged molecules, which optimizes the charge carrier dynamics. The anchoring of both diethylenetriamine (DETA) molecules and Pt species on CdS (denoted as Pt/CdS-D) achieves remarkable H₂ evolution performance, delivering an exceptional rate of 6295 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and an apparent quantum efficiency of 14.9%, which is 26.7-fold enhanced compared to that of CdS. The synergistic modification strategy concurrently lowers the activation energy barrier for water reduction and establishes EDL-driven directional charge transport channels that boost carrier separation efficiency. This work provides a paradigm for designing high-performance photocatalysts through the rational integration of functional organic groups and cocatalysts, opening new avenues for advanced solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion systems.