Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Using ZnS Particles and LEDs

Abstract

Hydrogen is a sustainable and climate-friendly storage for renewable energies and can directly be generated from sunlight, e.g., by photocatalytic water splitting. This article presents the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using LED irradiation of an aqueous ZnS particle dispersion with Na 2 S and Na 2 SO 3 as sacrificial reagents. In contrast to previously published photocatalytic hydrogen production experiments for educational purposes, this experiment is safer and more environmentally friendly and can therefore be performed by students in school laboratories or in regular K−12 chemistry classes using a self-constructed low-cost setup. In addition, digital competences are fostered since the holder of the LED is constructed with a 3D printer and the formed hydrogen is detected with an Arduino hydrogen sensor.

Recent Progress in Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 by ZnIn2S4‐based Heterostructures

“…Among many photocatalysts, ZnIn 2 S 4 , as a ternary metalsulfur compound semiconductor catalyst with a typical layer structure, has a narrower band gap compared with traditional oxide photocatalysts such as TiO 2 , [2][3] ZnO, [4][5][6][7] ZrO 2 , [8][9][10][11] etc. Compared with binary metal-sulfur semiconductor photocatalysts such as CdS, [12][13][14] CuS, [15][16][17][18][19] and ZnS, [20][21][22][23] ZnIn 2 S 4 is greener in the photocatalytic reaction process without generating toxic ions and more straightforward to prepare compared with other ternary metal-sulfur compounds such as ZnCdS, [24][25][26][27] Zn 3 In 2 S 6 , [28][29][30][31] etc., while attracting the attention of many related workers by its unique photoelectric properties and catalytic characteristics. ZnIn 2 S 4 is an n-type semiconductor with three different crystal morphologies, including cubic phase, hexagonal phase, and rhombic phase, [32] among which the two crystalline forms of cubic phase and hexagonal phase are more common in photocatalytic experiments.…”

Photoreforming – green hydrogen from alcohol, sugar and starch

“…Zum einen lassen sich so die unterschiedlichen Produktionswege zur Herstellung von Wasserstoff beleuchten und zum anderen Vor-und Nachteile diskutieren, die jeweils mit Elektromobilität oder wasserstoffbasierten Antrieben einhergehen. Die Synthese von Wasserstoff mithilfe von Lichtenergie ist jedoch nicht nur Gegenstand industrieller Forschung, sondern auch verschiedener fachdidaktischer Forschungsgruppen [13,14,15]. Das zeigt die Absicht vieler Akteure, dieses zukunftsweisende Thema in schulische Kontexte und besonders in den Chemieunterricht einzubinden.…”