Metal Sulfide Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Generation: A Review of Recent Advances

Abstract

Metal-sulfide nanostructures have piqued the interest of researchers for decades due to their intriguing optoelectronic properties. Indeed, significant advances and improvements have been made in various fundamental aspects for cutting-edge applications, such as water splitting and hydrogen production. Furthermore, rising demand for low-dimensional materials due to lower material consumption and improved performance due to quantum size effects has spurred research on semiconducting metal sulfides. Consequently, size-controllable nanostructures with diverse morphologies have been fabricated and studied for potential applications. However, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate is still limited mainly by fast recombination rate, poor solar energy utilization and lack of surface-active sites for H2 reduction. This review will highlight particularly recent findings in metal-sulfide-based photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions, considering the swift development and excellent research in this field. Following a brief overview of fundamental properties, we will explore state-of-the-art strategies for enhancing H2 generation efficiencies over the pristine, heterostructured and co-catalayzed metal-sulfide photocatalysts.

Optimizing the Infrared Photoelectric Detection Performance of Pbs Quantum Dots through Solid-State Ligand Exchange

“…Sargent and co-workers created ultrasensitive photodetectors for visible and infrared wavelengths through the exchange of organic oleic acid ligands with sulfates [20,21]. Metal sulphides have attracted attention due to their excellent physical and chemical properties [22]. An inorganic ligand substitution strategy based on metal-sulfur complexes (MCC) was reported by Talapin et al [23].…”

Rethinking Electronic Effects in Photochemical Hydrogen Evolution Using CuInS2@ZnS Quantum Dots Sensitizers

“…Starting from these premises, within the last few years much attention has been paid to the preparation of quantum dots (QDs), viz. semiconductor nanocrystals stabilized by suitable capping agents, for replacing molecular sensitizers since they combine several key properties such as controllable optical properties, high emission yield, sufficiently long excited state lifetime, and improved stability under redox stress thanks to their material-based nature [ 15 , 16 ]. In this regard, many studies have preferentially dealt with the use of cadmium chalcogenides due to their synthetic ease and tunability [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”

Recent Developments in ZnS-Based Nanostructures Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment

“…To overcome these impediments, various strategies have been used to improve the photocatalytic performance of ZnS NSs by adjusting band gap energy (to absorb Vis light), such as morphology engineering [ 23 , 24 ], metal/non-metal doping [ 3 , 9 , 25 , 26 ], defect engineering [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ], dye sensitization [ 18 ], and heterostructures construction [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. However, nanostructured ZnS materials have versatile potential applications in optoelectronic devices (e.g., flat-panel displays, injection lasers, UV light-emitting diodes, electroluminescent sensors, and infrared windows [ 5 , 37 , 38 ]) and as photocatalysts in the following processes: (a) green synthesis of organic compounds (e.g., substituted tetrazoles and xanthene and its derivatives [ 5 ]), (b) syngas production in water [ 39 ], (c) CO 2 photoreduction [ 40 ], and (d) H 2 production via water splitting [ 27 , 41 , 42 , 43 ].…”

“…The photocatalytic production of hydrogen from water has been intensively studied in recent decades as the main contribution to solve both environmental and energy issues in the future. In this context, the development of metal (Zn) sulfide-based photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution as green energy was the topic of a few recent state-of-the-art review papers [ 18 , 43 ].…”