Efficient photocatalytic H2 production using visible‐light irradiation and (CuAg)xIn2xZn2(1 − 2x)S2 photocatalysts with tunable band gaps. (10th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Guangshan; Zhang, Wen; Minakata, Daisuke; Wang, Peng; Chen, Yongsheng; Crittenden, John
• Is Part Of: International journal of energy research. Volume 38:Number 12(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1513
• Page End: 1521
• Publication Date: 2014-02-10
• Subjects: Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Research -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1002/er.3157
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-907X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>SUMMARY</title> <p>The band structures of semiconductor photocatalysts fundamentally determine the photocatalytic activity and the H<sub>2</sub> production from the visible‐light‐driven water‐splitting reaction. We synthesize a suite of multicomponent sulfide photocatalysts, (CuAg)<italic><sub>x</sub></italic>In<sub>2<italic>x</italic></sub>Zn<sub>2(1 − 2<italic>x</italic>)</sub>S<sub>2</sub> (0 ≤ <italic>x</italic> ≤ 0.5), with tunable band gaps and small crystallite sizes to produce H<sub>2</sub> using visible‐light irradiation. The band gap of the photocatalysts decreases from 3.47 eV to 1.51 eV with the increasing <italic>x</italic> value. The (CuAg)<sub>0.15</sub>In<sub>0.3</sub>Zn<sub>1.4</sub>S<sub>2</sub> (<italic>x</italic> = 0.15) photocatalyst yielded the highest photocatalytic activity for H<sub>2</sub> production owing to the broad visible‐light absorption range and suitable conduction band potential. Under the optimized reaction conditions, the highest H<sub>2</sub> production rate is 230 µmol m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> with a visible‐light irradiation of 2.7 × 10<sup>−5</sup> einstein cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>, and the quantum yield reaches 12.8% at 420 ± 5 nm within 24 h. Furthermore, the photocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> production is shown to strongly depend on their band structures, which vary with the elemental ratios and could be analyzed by the Nernst relation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.</p> </abstract>