Issue

Vol. 18 (2026)

Design Concept of Metal Sulfide Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02111-0
Qizhi Gao
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Xinlong Zheng
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Jiaxin Lin
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Jiadi Zhai
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Fan Yang
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Xinjie Chen
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Minghui Wang
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Miaomiao Yang
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Jing Li
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Xiaodong Shi
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Yonghao Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Xinlong Tian
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China
Yuhao Liu
State Key Laboratory of Tropic Ocean Engineering Materials and Materials Evaluation, School of Marine Technology and Equipment, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan Provincial Key Lab of Fine Chem, School of Cyberspace Security (School of Cryptology), School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yuhao Liu

yhliu@hainanu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 266

Abstract

Metal sulfide (MS) photocatalysts hold unique features of narrow-bandgap range, high light absorption coefficient, and suitable band structures, offering significant potential for efficient visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) via water splitting. However, the low electronic dimensionality of the traditional MS photocatalyst generally decreases the transfer and migration efficiency of the photogenerated charge carriers. In addition, severe intrinsic photocorrosion issue also severely reduces the photostability, hindering the practical application of PHE at scale. In this regard, the advanced design concept of MS photocatalysts, focusing on the high electronic dimensionality construction and efficient photocorrosion inhibition, is of great importance. This review firstly introduces the basic mechanisms of PHE, followed by an in-depth discussion of the fundamental distinction between structural dimensionality and electronic dimensionality, highlighting the superiority of 3D electronic connectivity in enabling isotropic charge migration and shallow defect states. Afterward, the MS photocatalysts with 3D electronic dimensionality and solutions to photocorrosion are systematically summarized, with a special emphasis on the emerging paradigm of advanced “controllable-photocorrosion,” which strategically utilizes the corrosion process to create active sites rather than merely suppressing it. Finally, the current unsolved challenges of MS photocatalysts are comprehensively discussed.


Highlights:
1 Highlighting the essential 3D electronic dimensionality, isotropic orbital hybridization is shown to enhance charge carrier mobility in metal sulfide (MS) photocatalysts, overcoming structural dimensionality limits.
2 A controllable-photocorrosion approach is developed to functionally harness corrosion, in situ generating catalytically active sulfur species that boost photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and structural durability.
3 The intrinsic sulfur-coordination directionality synthesis method suppresses MS photocorrosion, offering a scalable stability enhancement, proved for CdS and ZnCdS systems.

Keywords

Metal sulfide photocatalysts Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution Water splitting Electronic dimensionality Photocorrosion
Gao, Qizhi, Xinlong Zheng, Jiaxin Lin, Jiadi Zhai, Fan Yang, Xinjie Chen, Minghui Wang, Miaomiao Yang, Jing Li, Xiaodong Shi, Yonghao Xiao, Xinlong Tian, and Yuhao Liu. 2026. “Design Concept of Metal Sulfide Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (March):266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02111-0.
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