Nitrogen-doped hydrogenated TiO2 modified with CdS nanorods with enhanced optical absorption, charge separation and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

•CdS/Ti3+/N-TiO2 composite is first fabricated for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.•CdS/Ti3+/N-TiO2 displays enhanced light absorption due to the N-doping and Ti3+/OV.•The heterojunction structure of CdS/Ti3+/N-TiO2 promotes the charge separation.•CdS/Ti3+/N-TiO2 shows highly efficient H2 evolution under visible light irradiation.