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ZnS–CdS–TaON nanocomposites with enhanced stability and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity

  • Original Paper: Sol–gel and hybrid materials for catalytic, photoelectrochemical and sensor applications
  • Published:
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Abstract

In recent years, tantalum oxynitride (TaON) semiconductor as one of the most efficient photocatalysts has been studied intensively owing to the appropriate potentials for overall solar water splitting. In this work, ZnS/CdS/γ-TaON composite photocatalysts with wide light response were successfully prepared by nitridation of Ta2O5 at 800 °C in a wet NH3 flowing and subsequently deposition CdS and ZnS quantum dots. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), N2 adsorption–desorption isothermals, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and so on. The photocatalytic property for hydrogen production was also studied. The results indicated that CdS and ZnS quantum dots with a diameter of 3–8 nm were uniformly dispersed on the surface of γ-TaON, which enlarged the spectral response of the ZnS/CdS/γ-TaON photocatalysts. And the optimized H2 evolution rate of ZnS/CdS/γ-TaON composite (839.6 μmol h−1 g−1) is about 14 times higher than that of CdS/γ-TaON in the absence of any noble-metal cocatalyst and 47 times higher than that of Pt loaded γ-TaON sample. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the higher separation efficiency of electrons and holes with the heterogeneous junction between ZnS, CdS, and γ-TaON. Besides, the presence of γ-TaON and ZnS also prevent the photocorrosion of CdS. The results provide a new insight for developing the TaON-based nanocomposite photocatalysts with enhanced stability and excellent photocatalytic H2 production activity.

Highlights

  • ZnS/CdS/γ-TaON nanocomposite photocatalysts had been successfully fabricated though deposition of CdS and ZnS quantum dots over γ-TaON nanoparticles.

  • CdS and ZnS/CdS significantly improve the photocatalytic activity of γ-TaON.

  • The optimized H2 evolution rate of ZnS/CdS/γ-TaON composite is about 14 times higher than that of CdS/γ-TaON in the absence of any noble metal cocatalyst and 47 times higher than that of Pt loaded γ-TaON sample.

  • The band structures and the possible transfer mechanism were proposed.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by Natural Science Foundation of China (No.51572046, 51603037), the Shanghai Natural Science Foundation (15ZR1401200), the Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning, Program of Shanghai Academic Research Leader (16XD1400100), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (16JC1400700), Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (2017-01-07-00-03-E00055), and the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (No.111-2-04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 201620, Shanghai, China

    Lin An, Xin Han, Chengyi Hou, Hongzhi Wang & Qinghong Zhang

  2. Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, MOE, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, 201620, Shanghai, China

    Yaogang Li & Qinghong Zhang

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  1. Lin An
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  2. Xin Han
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Correspondence to Hongzhi Wang or Qinghong Zhang.

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An, L., Han, X., Li, Y. et al. ZnS–CdS–TaON nanocomposites with enhanced stability and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 91, 82–91 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05009-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05009-z

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