Issue 32, 2017

Synthesis of layer-like Ni(OH)2 decorated ZnIn2S4 sub-microspheres with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production activity

Abstract

Novel layer-like Ni(OH)2 co-catalyst-decorated ZnIn2S4 microsphere photocatalysts were synthesized for the first time via a facile in situ deposition method to boost the photocatalytic H2-production performance. The physical and optical properties of the as-prepared Ni(OH)2–ZnIn2S4 composite samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV). The results indicate that the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of the ZnIn2S4 microspheres under visible light irradiation significantly enhances by introducing inexpensive Ni(OH)2 as a co-catalyst. The 5 mol% Ni(OH)2–ZnIn2S4 sample shows the highest H2-production rate of 8.35 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 18 times higher than that of pure ZnIn2S4. Moreover, photocatalytic activity of the Ni(OH)2–ZnIn2S4 sample remains stable even after 4 cycling photocatalytic experiments. In addition, a possible mechanism on the enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed and verified by surface photovoltage spectroscopy.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis of layer-like Ni(OH)2 decorated ZnIn2S4 sub-microspheres with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production activity

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Mar 2017
Accepted
28 Mar 2017
First published
28 Mar 2017

Dalton Trans., 2017,46, 10620-10629

Synthesis of layer-like Ni(OH)2 decorated ZnIn2S4 sub-microspheres with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production activity

S. Li, D. Dai, L. Ge, Y. Gao, C. Han and N. Xiao, Dalton Trans., 2017, 46, 10620 DOI: 10.1039/C7DT00819H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements