Effective shuttling of photoexcitons on CdS/NiO core/shell photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

Journal Article · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2018.01.043· OSTI ID:22803977

Lakshmana Reddy, N.; Rao, V. Navakoteswara; Kumari, M. Mamatha ^[1]; Ravi, P.; Sathish, M. ^[2]

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1. Nanocatalysis and Solar Fuels Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa 516003, Andhra Pradesh (India)
2. Functional Materials Division, Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI), Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu (India)

Highlights: • CdS/NiO leaf-like morphology was prepared by hydrothermal, citrate mediated growth. • CdS/NiO hierarchical catalyst showed improved rate of photocatalytic H{sub 2} generation. • CdS/NiO showed 2 folds higher rate of H{sub 2} production than CdS under visible light irradiation. • Optimized catalyst showed good stability for 30 h of continuous irradiation. - Abstract: Hierarchical structure of NiO immobilized on CdS photocatalyst (CdS/NiO) was synthesized for stable and efficient H{sub 2} production. The catalyst is designed to suppress the photo-corrosion behaviour without affecting catalytic activity of CdS structures having tamarind leaf-like morphology is protected by fabricating thin-layer of NiO. The exterior thin-layer transmits the light into CdS in-turn exciton moved to surface for reaction with adsorbed reactant species. Structural, morphological and optical properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible light (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results illustrates that synthesized catalyst composed of crystalline CdS/NiO hierarchical structure that absorbs light in the visible spectrum and improved charge carrier separation than CdS or NiO alone. The photocatalytic activity was examined for H{sub 2} generation under visible light irradiation using Xe-lamp as light source. In order to achieve enhanced H{sub 2} production rate amount of NiO loading was optimized and results were found in the following order CdS/NiO > CdS. Under optimal conditions the catalyst showed stable H{sub 2} evolution for 30 h of continuous irradiation. Under optimal conditions catalyst showed visible light to H{sub 2} conversion efficiency of 6.63%.

• OSTI ID: 22803977
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 101; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CATALYSTS
CHARGE CARRIERS
CITRATES
CORROSION
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
LIGHT BULBS
MORPHOLOGY
NICKEL OXIDES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOCATALYSIS
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
VISIBLE SPECTRA
XENON
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY