Solvothermal Synthesis of CdS Nanowires for Photocatalytic Hydrogen and Electricity Production

Abstract

To investigate the formation of one-dimensional CdS nanowires, we synthesized them by a solvothermal method in ethylenediamine as a single solvent at different temperatures and times. The sample synthesized at 160 °C for 72 h had an average diameter of ca. 50 nm and a length of ca. 3−4 μm and hexagonal phase with high crystallinity. It was revealed that the formation of CdS nanowires followed three-step processes during the solvothermal synthesis; the seed formation process yielded nanosheets emanating from a mirosphere followed by the nanorod formation and growth of nanorods to nanowires. The CdS nanowires with higher crystallinity showed a higher rate of photocatalytic hydrogen production from water containing 0.1 M Na2S and 0.0 2M Na2SO3 as sacrificial reagents under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). A high and stable photocurrent generation was also observed from the CdS nanowire film under visible light.

Synthesis of monodisperse CdS nanorods catalyzed by Au nanoparticles

“…It can be used in photocatalytic hydrogen production and electricity generation [17], in thin fi lm transistors [18], in light-emitting diodes, and in other nonlinear optical devices [19,20]. CdS nanorods or nanowires can be prepared by several approaches, including laserassisted catalytic growth [21], thermal evaporation of CdS nanopowders [22], templated growth [13,23] and solvothermal routes [17,24].…”

Nanomaterials for renewable energy production and storage

“…198 The photocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution over CdS nanorods and nanowires has also been studied. [205][206][207][208] Fig. 14 shows hydrogen evolution on nondecorated CdS nanorods as well as decorated with 4.8 nm Pt nanoparticles under illumination with UV-visible light (360-440 nm) in the presence of sodium sulfite as the hole scavenger.…”

Review of one-dimensional and two-dimensional nanostructured materials for hydrogen generation

“…For example, H 2 evolution increases with synthesis temperature, although the SA decreases. 229 The characteristic defect density [238][239][240][241] may be obtained from photoluminescence measurements. These can be correlated with the photocatalytic activity 36,172,173 to give a better understanding of the development of promising materials.…”