Nature inspired ZnO/ZnS nanobranch-like composites, decorated with Cu(OH)2 clusters for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Surface defect engineering of mesoporous Cu/ZnS nanocrystal-linked networks for improved visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production

“…In particular, the light excitation of CZS′-5 generates more surface-reaching electrons for hydrogen evolution, instead of losing a portion to electron-hole recombination at the structure or surface defects. The AQY of the CZS′-5 NCAs is also higher than or comparable to those of other noble-metal-free ZnS-based photocatalysts, such as CdS/ZnS core-shell microparticles (9.3% AQY at 420 nm), 29 36 CuS/ZnS porous nanosheets (20% AQY at 420 nm), 37 (CuAgZnSnS 4 ) 0.9 (ZnS) 0.4 mixed crystals (0.25% AQY at 400 nm), 38 Bi (0.3%)-doped ZnS hollow spheres (0.99% AQY at 420 nm) 39 and Ga(0.1%), Cu(0.01%)-co-doped ZnS nanospheres (0.14% AQY at 425 nm). 40 Interestingly, when sulfidation was performed on the starting ZnS NCs or mesoporous network of the cross-linked ZnS NCs to form the sulfurated products (denoted as C/ZS-S′-5 and C/ZS′-5 NCAs, respectively, details in the Experimental section), the resulting catalytic activity was significantly lower; namely, C/ZS-S′-5 and C/ZS′-5 catalysts gave a H 2 production rate of 3.9 and 22.5 μmol h −1 over a 3 h reaction period, respectively (Fig.…”

In‐situ Copper Doping with ZnO/ZnS Heterostructures to Promote Interfacial Photocatalysis of Microsized Particles

“…A plausible mechanism of charge transfer between ZnS, ZnO and Cu x S components of the heterostructure under light irradiation is shown in Scheme 2. [39] When the CSO samples in the aqueous solution is illuminated with light, the photogenerated hot electrons of ZnS separate from the holes and migrate from the valence band (+ 2.56 eV) to conduction (À 1.04 eV). Because of the constructed heterojunction between ZnS and ZnO, part of the excited hot electrons migrate to the conduction band (À 0.31 eV) of ZnO, where the hot electrons are involved in the reduction of H + .…”

Synthesis of CdS/MoS2 Nanooctahedrons Heterostructure with a Tight Interface for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution and Biomass Upgrading

“…[ 3,4 ] Since the first report on water‐splitting using TiO 2 as photocatalyst from Fujishima and Honda in 1972, [ 5 ] a variety of semiconductor photocatalysts have been developed and studied. Compared with TiO 2 [ 6 ] and the other photocatalytic systems, [ 7–10 ] cadmium sulfide (CdS) with a bulk bandgap of ≈2.4 eV is suitable for visible light absorption, and its band positions (CB —0.5 V vs NHE, VB + 1.9 V vs NHE) are in favor of the redox reactions of photocatalysis. [ 11 ] However, the lack of active sites for hydrogen production, the rapid photo‐generated electron–hole recombination induced low photocatalytic H 2 generation activity, and photo‐corrosion remain limiting the extensive application for CdS.…”