Graphene　oxide　(GO)　has　widely　been　used　as　the　precursor　of　graphene　to　construct　graphene-semiconductor　composite　photocatalysts　for　various　redox　reactions.　However,　the　electrical　conductivity　and　charge　carrier　mobility　of　reduced　GO　(RGO)　are　remarkably　decreased　due　to　considerable　disruption　of　the　2D　π-conjugation　of　the　electronic　structure　in　the　domain　of　RGO　sheets,　which　results　that　the　net　improvement　efficiency　of　photoactivity　is　often　limited.　Herein,　we　report　a　simple　yet　efficient　strategy　of　rational　utilization　of　highly　conductive,　commercial　Elicarb　graphene　(EGR),　which　is　manufactured　on　a　large　scale　via　a　high-shear　exfoliation　process　in　liquid　phase,　to　synthesize　EGR-semiconductor　CdS　composite　photocatalysts　with　distinctly　enhanced　activity　as　compared　to　RGO-CdS　counterparts　for　photocatalytic　hydrogen　evolution　under　visible　light　illumination.　To　resolve　the　low　solution　processability　deficiency　of　EGR,　we　select　the　surfactant,　sodium　dodecyl　benzene　acid　(SDBS),　to　functionalize　the　surface　of　EGR　with　additional　hydrophilic　functional　groups,　thereby　making　SDBS-modified　EGR　well　dispersed　in　aqueous　phase　and　negatively　charged.　In　addition,　the　hybridization　of　CdS　with　graphene　via　the　electrostatic　self-assembly　strategy　guarantees　the　intimate　interfacial　contact.　This　conceptual　study　would　spur　further　interest　in　virtuous　interactive　loop　between　fundamental　research　and　commercialization　of　graphene　materials　to　advance　graphene-semiconductor　composite　photocatalysis.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.