CdS@Ni3S2/Cu2S electrode for electrocatalysis and boosted photo-assisted electrocatalysis hydrogen production

•Cu/Ni alloy foam supported CdS@Ni3S2/Cu2S nanorod arrays were fabricated for the first time.•Both electrocatalysis (EC) and photo-assisted electrocatalysis (PA-EC) water splitting properties were investigated.•Highest electrical-to-hydrogen (ηETH) and solar-to-hydrogen (ηSTH) efficiency reaches to be 97% and 8.9%, respectively.•CdS@Ni3S2/Cu2S possesses considerable durability of more than 50 h under both light and dark conditions.•The underling PA-EC water splitting mechanism of CdS@Ni3S2/Cu2S was investigated.