Issue 7, 2013

Reduction degree of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) dependence of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance over RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites with RGO in different reduction degrees have been prepared and their photocatalytic performance for H2 evolution under visible light irradiation has been evaluated. The reduction degree of RGO in the RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposite synthesized via a direct hydrothermal process was low and the resultant RGO/ZnIn2S4-hydrothermal exhibited lower photocatalytic performance for H2 evolution even when compared to pure ZnIn2S4. The reduction degree of RGO in the RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposite can be increased by a further photoreduction or hydrazine reduction. These highly reductive RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites showed significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for H2 production under visible light irradiation. Highly reduced RGO in the RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites serves as a good electron acceptor/mediator as well as the H2 evolution site to promote the photocatalytic water splitting over ZnIn2S4. A correlation between the photocatalytic performance for H2 evolution and the RGO reduction degree over RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites was shown for the first time. This study provides new insights in the developments of RGO-based nanocomposite materials for photocatalytic applications.

Graphical abstract: Reduction degree of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) dependence of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance over RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Oct 2012
Accepted
04 Dec 2012
First published
07 Dec 2012

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2013,3, 1712-1717

Reduction degree of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) dependence of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance over RGO/ZnIn2S4 nanocomposites

Y. Chen, H. Ge, L. Wei, Z. Li, R. Yuan, P. Liu and X. Fu, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2013, 3, 1712 DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20710A

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