LAUSR

Abstract CdS nanorods (CNR’s) were prepared using a hydrothermal approach and SnO2 quantum dots (SQD’s) were prepared by a simple chemical synthesis at room temperature. SQD’s were coated onto the CNR’s by sonochemical method. The ultra-small size and ease of uniform dispersion of SQD’s were favored for coating over the surface of CNR’s with the help of high pressure and temperature created by the collapse of hotspots during sonochemical synthesis. Systematic investigations, e.g., XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, and DRS revealed the formation of the core-shell nanostructure and an improved light harvesting ability. The formation of the shell effectively decreased the bandgap of the core-shell NRs from 2.37 eV to 2.35 eV. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of CNR-SQD’s was greater than for pristine CNR’s. The fabricated CNR-SQD’s achieve higher photocurrents and lower charge transfer resistance than individual CNR’s.