Highly efficient photocatalysts of Pt/BN/CdS constructed by using the Pt as the electron acceptor and the BN as the holes transfer for H2-production

• The BN/CdS composite photocatalysts were prepared by the ball milling method.
• The photocatalytic activity of CdS was improved by coupling with the milled BN.
• The Pt/BN/CdS cause the enormous improvement of CdS activity.
• The Pt and BN can be as the electron acceptor and hole transfer, respectively.

High active BN/CdS composite photocatalysts were prepared by the ball milling method. The prepared BN/CdS composites were characterized by the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis absorption spectra (UV–vis) and fluorescence emission spectra (PL). The effects of the loading amounts of BN and the ball milling time on the H2-evolution rate were investigated. The results indicated that the tight contact of CdS with h-BN can be achieved, and the photocatalytic activity of CdS could be improved substantially by coupling with a proper amount of milled h-BN. The optimal loading amount of h-BN was found to be 5 wt% and the milling time was 1 h. In the Pt/CdS/BN photocatalytic system, both the Pt as the electron acceptor and the BN as the hole transfer may cause the improvement of the CdS activity. The highest H2-evolution rate over the Pt/BN/CdS photocatalyst can reach as high as ∼17.563 mmol g−1 h−1.