Zinc sulfide for photocatalysis: White angel or black sheep?. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lange, Thomas; Reichenberger, Sven; Ristig, Simon; Rohe, Markus; Strunk, Jennifer; Barcikowski, Stephan; Schlögl, Robert
• Is Part Of: Progress in materials science. Volume 124(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Zinc sulfide -- Photocatalysis -- Photocorrosion -- Sacrificial agents -- Hydrogen generation -- Pollutant degradation; ALD atomic layer deposition -- AQY apparent quantum yield -- CVD chemical vapor deposition -- DFT density-functional theory -- EIS electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor -- EPR electron paramagnetic resonance -- FESEM field emission scanning electron microscopy -- IFCT interfacial charge transfer -- MIS metal-insulator-semiconductor -- NHE normal hydrogen electrode -- OWS overall water splitting -- pHPZC point of zero charge -- PEMFC proton exchange membrane fuel cell -- SC semiconductor -- STH conversion solar-to-hydrogen conversion -- TEM transmission electron microscopy -- TOC total organic carbon -- Ufb flat-band potential -- UV light ultraviolet light -- XPS X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy -- XRD X-ray diffraction; Materials science -- Periodicals; Science des matériaux -- Périodiques; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2021.100865
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0079-6425

Abstract

Highlights: ZnS suffers exceedingly from photocorrosive decomposition. Photocorrosion of ZnS makes a reasonable photocatalytic application impossible so far. Use of sacrificial agents is not ecological and economic for large-scale applications. Photocorrosion must be suppressed without photocatalytic deactivation. Abstract: Driven by the necessity of a sustainable living of future generations, semiconductor-based photocatalysis gained increasing attention in various research fields like green energy conversion or pollutant degradation. Neat semiconductors are often found to be rather inactive due to insufficient valence/conduction band potentials, short carrier lifetime and mobility, demanding noble metal cocatalysts and/or heterojunctions with other semiconductors. A famous example for an efficient neat photocatalyst is often found in Zinc Sulfide due to its beneficial photophysical properties concerning charge carrier formation, high activity in water reduction without precious cocatalysts, and earth-abundance. Unfortunately, the high susceptibility of ZnS and its paramount role to photocorrosion is often neglected or only addressed in passing. To circumvent the low photostability of ZnS, the addition of sacrificial agents before photocatalytic testing is state-of-the-art but appears to stand without question in most publications. Using sacrificial agents is however far from reasonable as the former are constantly consumed in substantial amounts rendering the commonly claimed arguments of sustainability and economic feasibility of ZnS a potential misconception worth critically reviewing. Hence, with this review, we take a step back to objectively but also critically review the facts regarding photocorrosion and applicability of Zinc Sulfide photocatalysis.