Microwave synthesis of ZnIn2S4/WS2 composites for photocatalytic hydrogen production and hexavalent chromium reduction

A rapid microwave synthesis route for the fabrication of ZnIn2S4 powder and ZnIn2S4/WS2 composites is presented. Firstly, the effects of different sulfur sources – thioacetamide and l-cysteine – on the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic H2 production of the synthesized ZnIn2S4 were invest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Catalysis science & technology 2019, Vol.9 (20), p.5698-5711
Main Authors: Pudkon, Watcharapong, Kaowphong, Sulawan, Pattisson, Samuel, Miedziak, Peter J, Bahruji, Hasliza, Davies, Thomas E, Morgan, David J, Hutchings, Graham J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Catalytic activity
Chromium
Composite materials
Cysteine
Hexavalent chromium
Hydrogen production
Light irradiation
Microspheres
Photocatalysis
Photochemistry
Reagents
Sodium sulfide
Sodium sulfite
Synthesis
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Summary:A rapid microwave synthesis route for the fabrication of ZnIn2S4 powder and ZnIn2S4/WS2 composites is presented. Firstly, the effects of different sulfur sources – thioacetamide and l-cysteine – on the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic H2 production of the synthesized ZnIn2S4 were investigated. It was found that well-defined flower-like ZnIn2S4 microspheres obtained from l-cysteine facilitated a relatively higher H2 production rate. Then, different loadings of WS2 were introduced into the well-defined flower-like ZnIn2S4 microspheres aiming to improve its photocatalytic H2 production. Compared to pure ZnIn2S4 and WS2, all ZnIn2S4/WS2 composite photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic H2 production in the presence of Na2S/Na2SO3 as sacrificial reagents under UV-visible irradiation, where the ZnIn2S4/WS2-40% wt composite had the highest photocatalytic activity. For this material, 293.3 and 76.6 μmol h−1 g−1 of H2 gas were produced under UV-visible and visible light irradiation, respectively. In addition, the photoreduction activity of hexavalent chromium (Cr(vi)) by ZnIn2S4/WS2-40% wt was also investigated under visible light irradiation and it was observed that 98.5% of Cr(vi) was reduced within 90 min at pH 4.
ISSN:2044-4753
2044-4761
DOI:10.1039/c9cy01553a