Photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production, using sunlight, is a clean, renewable, and eco-friendly strategy for solar fuel production. To reduce the rate of photogenerated carriers' recombination and chemically corrosion of CdS photoanode, a composite component surface state passivation layer was introduced. The polydopamine (PDA) and Nafion co-modified CdS nanorods were successfully prepared by simple electropolymerization and dipping methods. The inherent adhesion of PDA can make it adhere well to CdS nanorods to improve the surface defects of CdS, and it can also promote the assembly of Nafion coating. The mechanism of PDA/Nafion bi-layer passivation on CdS was analyzed by steady-state/time-resolved photoluminescence spectra and electron paramagnetic resonance. The optimized CdS/PDA/Nafion photoanode exhibits highly improved PEC water splitting activity and stability under visible light. It is highly anticipated that this multifunctional polymer passivation layer will provide new routes to practically engineer photoanodes in PEC hydrogen production devices.
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