Preparation of CuS/PbS/ZnO Heterojunction Photocatalyst for Application in Hydrogen Production

A hexagonal wurtzite ZnO photocatalyst was prepared via a precipitation method. CuS nanoparticles (NPs) and PbS quantum dots (QDs) were loaded onto ZnO via a hydrothermal method to obtain a CuS/PbS/ZnO heterojunction photocatalyst. The CuS/PbS/ZnO photocatalyst obtained via the abovementioned method...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ming-Huan Chiu, Cheng-Ching Kuo, Chao-Wei Huang, Wein-Duo Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-12-01
Series:Catalysts
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/12/1677
Description
Summary:A hexagonal wurtzite ZnO photocatalyst was prepared via a precipitation method. CuS nanoparticles (NPs) and PbS quantum dots (QDs) were loaded onto ZnO via a hydrothermal method to obtain a CuS/PbS/ZnO heterojunction photocatalyst. The CuS/PbS/ZnO photocatalyst obtained via the abovementioned method has significant absorption capabilities in the ultraviolet to near-infrared spectral regions, and effectively reduced the recombination of electron–hole pairs during a photocatalytic reaction. Electron microscope images showed that in the CuS/PbS/ZnO photocatalyst prepared at 130 °C, the particle size of the PbS QDs was approximately 5.5–5.7 nm, and the bandgap determined from the Tauc plot was 0.84 eV; this catalyst demonstrated the best water splitting effect. Furthermore, after adding a 0.25 M mixed solution of Na<sub>2</sub>S and Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>3</sub> as the sacrificial reagent in photocatalysis for 5 h, the hydrogen production efficiency from water splitting reached 6654 μmol g<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>.
ISSN:2073-4344