Significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS with carbon nanotubes as the electron mediators

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2020.11.047

Abstract

Abstract:

The electron mediator can effectively improve the performance of the direct Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts. However, it is still a great challenge to select cheap and efficient electron mediators and to design them into the Z-scheme photocatalytic system. In the present paper, the g-C ₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS Z-scheme photocatalyst was prepared using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the electron mediators, and its photocatalytic hydrogen production performance was studied. Compared with single-phase g-C₃N₄, CdZnS and biphasic g-C₃N₄/CdZnS photocatalysts, the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of the prepared g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS has been significantly enhanced. Meanwhile, g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS possesses very good photocatalytic hydrogen production stability. The enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS is attributed to the fact that CNTs, as an electron mediator, can accelerate the recombination of the photogenerated holes in the valence band of g-C₃N₄ and the photogenerated electrons in the conduction band of CdZnS, which makes the g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS Z-scheme photocatalyst be easier to escape the photogenerated electrons, increases the concentration of the photogenerated carriers and prolongs the lifetime of the photogenerated carriers. This work provides a theoretical basis for the further development and design of CNTs as the intermediate electron mediator of the Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst.

Key words: Photocatalytic hydrogen production, Z-scheme photocatalyst, Electron mediator, g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS, Carbon nanotubes

Chang Feng, Zhuoyuan Chen, Jiangping Jing, Mengmeng Sun, Jing Tian, Guiying Lu, Li Ma, Xiangbo Li, Jian Hou. Significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS with carbon nanotubes as the electron mediators[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 80: 75-83.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1. XRD patterns (A) and Raman spectra (B, C) of the prepared photocatalysts.

Fig. 2. SEM images of g-C3N4 (A), g-C3N4/CNTs (B), CdZnS (C), g-C3N4/CdZnS (D) and g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS (E); EDS spectrum and elemental mapping of g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS (G).

Fig. 3. HRTEM images of g-C3N4/CNTs (A, B) and g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS (C, D).

Fig. 4. XPS spectra of g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS: the total survey spectrum (A), C 1s (B), N 1s (C), S 2p (D), Cd 3d (E), Zn 2p (F) XPS core level spectra.

Fig. 5. Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectra of the prepared photocatalysts.

Fig. 6. The photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of the prepared photocatalysts: time-yield curves (A, C) and average hydrogen production rates (B, D).

Fig. 7. Photocatalytic hydrogen production stability test of g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS.

Fig. 8. The SKP potential distributions on the surface of g-C3N4 (A), g-C3N4/CNTs (B), CdZnS (C), g-C3N4/CdZnS (D) and g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS (E); the surface work function the prepared photocatalysts (F).

Fig. 9. The i-t curves at a bias potential of 0 V (vs Ag/AgCl) (A), photoluminescence spectra (B) and excited state electron radioactive decay spectra (C) of g-C3N4, CdZnS and g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS. (The illustration in Fig. 9(A) is the enlarged i-t curve of g-C3N4.)

Fig. 10. Proposed mechanism diagram of photocatalytic hydrogen production of Z-scheme g-C3N4/CNTs/CdZnS.

References 68

[1]	F. Wang, Q. Li, D. Xu, Adv. Energy Mater. 7 (2017), 1700529. DOI URL
[2]	M. Ismael, Y. Wu, Sustain. Energy and Fuels 3 (2019) 2907-2925. DOI URL
[3]	Y. Zhang, Y. Li, D. Ni, Z. Chen, X. Wang, Y. Bu, J.P. Ao, Adv. Funct. Mater. 29 (2019), 1902101. DOI URL
[4]	S. Hu, M. Zhu, Chemcatchem 11 (2019) 6147-6165. DOI URL
[5]	C. Feng, Z. Chen, J. Hou, J. Li, X. Li, L. Xu, M. Sun, R. Zeng, Chem. Eng. J. 345 (2018) 404-413. DOI URL
[6]	P. Zhang, X.W. Lou, Adv. Mater. 31 (2019), 1900281. DOI URL
[7]	J. Luo, S. Zhang, M. Sun, L. Yang, S. Luo, J.C. Crittenden, ACS Nano 13 (2019) 9811-9840. DOI URL
[8]	J. Low, J. Yu, M. Jaroniec, S. Wageh, A.A. Al-Ghamdi, Adv. Mater. 29 (2017), 1601694. DOI URL
[9]	S. Meng, J. Zhang, S. Chen, S. Zhang, W. Huang, Appl. Surf. Sci. 476 (2019) 982-992. DOI URL
[10]	Y. Wang, Q. Wang, X. Zhan, F. Wang, M. Safdar, J. He, Nanoscale 5 (2013) 8326-8339. DOI URL
[11]	Y. Qu, X. Duan, Chem. Soc. Rev. 42 (2013) 2568-2580. DOI URL
[12]	J. Low, C. Jiang, B. Cheng, S. Wageh, A.A. Al-Ghamdi, J. Yu, Small Methods 1 (2017), 1700080.
[13]	H. Li, W. Tu, Y. Zhou, Z. Zou, Adv. Sci. 3 (2016) 1500389. DOI URL
[14]	P. Zhou, J. Yu, M. Jaroniec, Adv. Mater. 26 (2014) 4920-4935. DOI URL
[15]	A. Kumar, P. Raizada, P. Singh, R.V. Saini, A.K. Saini, A. Hosseinibandegharaei, Chem. Eng. J. 391 (2020), 123496. DOI URL
[16]	H. Li, H. Yu, X. Quan, S. Chen, Y. Zhang, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 8 (2016) 2111-2119. DOI URL
[17]	W. Li, C. Feng, S. Dai, J. Yue, F. Hua, H. Hou, Appl. Catal.B 168-169 (2015) 465-471. DOI URL
[18]	Y. Bu, Z. Chen, C. Sun, Appl. Catal. B 179 (2015) 363-371. DOI URL
[19]	Y. Sun, Q. Zhu, B. Bai, Y. Li, C. He, Chem. Eng. J. 390 (2020), 124518. DOI URL
[20]	J. Duan, H. Zhao, Z. Zhang, W. Wang, Ceram. Int. 44 (2018) 22748-22759. DOI URL
[21]	R. Wang, G. Qiu, Y. Xiao, X. Tao, W. Peng, B. Li, J.Catal. 374 (2019) 378-390.
[22]	D. Ma, J. Wu, M. Gao, Y. Xin, T. Ma, Y. Sun, Chem. Eng. J. 290 (2016) 136-146. DOI URL
[23]	J. Zhang, Y. Guo, Y. Xiong, D. Zhou, S. Dong, J. Catal. 356 (2017) 1-13. DOI URL
[24]	B. Ng, L.K. Putri, L. Tan, P. Pasbakhsh, S. Chai, Chem. Eng. J. 316 (2017) 41-49. DOI URL
[25]	W. Wang, L. Wang, W. Li, C. Feng, R. Qiu, L. Xu, X. Cheng, G. Shao, Mater. Lett. 234 (2019) 183-186. DOI URL
[26]	X. Miao, X. Shen, J. Wu, Z. Ji, J. Wang, L. Kong, M. Liu, C. Song, Appl. Catal. A 539 (2017) 104-113. DOI URL
[27]	J. Li, F. Wei, C. Dong, W. Mu, X. Han, J. Mater. Chem. A 8 (2020) 6524-6531. DOI URL
[28]	A. Iwase, Y.H. Ng, Y. Ishiguro, A. Kudo, R. Amal, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133 (2011) 11054-11057. DOI URL
[29]	Z. Pan, G. Zhang, X. Wang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58 (2019) 7102-7106. DOI URL
[30]	X. Wu, J. Zhao, L. Wang, M. Han, M. Zhang, H. Wang, H. Huang, Y. Liu, Z. Kang, Appl. Catal. B 206 (2017) 501-509. DOI URL
[31]	M.F.R. Samsudin, N. Bacho, S. Sufian, Y.H. Ng, J. Mol. Liq. 277 (2019) 977-988. DOI
[32]	W. Chen, R. Yan, J. Zhu, G. Huang, Z. Chen, Appl. Surf. Sci. 504 (2020), 144406. DOI URL
[33]	J. Shi, Y. Zou, D. Ma, Z. Fan, L. Cheng, D. Sun, Z. Wang, C. Niu, L. Wang, Nanoscale 10 (2018) 9292-9303. DOI URL
[34]	Z. Zhu, P. Huo, Z. Lu, Y. Yan, Z. Liu, W. Shi, C. Li, H. Dong, Chem. Eng. J. 331 (2018) 615-625. DOI URL
[35]	G. Di, Z. Zhu, H. Zhang, J. Zhu, Y. Qiu, D. Yin, S. Kuppers, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 538 (2019) 256-266. DOI URL
[36]	N.A. Zubir, C. Yacou, J. Motuzas, X. Zhang, X.S. Zhao, Chem. Commun. 51 (2015) 9291-9293. DOI URL
[37]	M. Usman, J.M. Byrne, A. Chaudhary, S. Orsetti, K. Hanna, C. Ruby, A. Kappler, S.B. Haderlein, Chem. Rev. 118 (2018) 3251-3304. DOI PMID
[38]	I. Shanenkov, A. Sivkov, A. Ivashutenko, T. Medvedeva, I. Shchetinin, J. Alloys Compd. 774 (2019) 637-645. DOI URL
[39]	W. Huang, S. Pan, Y. Li, L. Yu, R. Liu, Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 162 (2020) 845-852. DOI PMID
[40]	J. Wen, J. Xie, X. Chen, X. Li, Appl. Surf. Sci. 391 (2017) 72-123. DOI URL
[41]	J. Fu, J. Yu, C. Jiang, B. Cheng, Adv. Energy Mater. 8 (2018), 1701503. DOI URL
[42]	S. Cao, J. Yu, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 5 (2014) 2101-2107. DOI URL
[43]	Y. Liu, H. Zhang, J. Ke, J. Zhang, W. Tian, X. Xu, X. Duan, H. Sun, M.O. Tade, S. Wang, Appl. Catal. B 228 (2018) 64-74. DOI URL
[44]	X. Li, H. Zhang, Y. Liu, X. Duan, X. Xu, S. Liu, H. Sun, S. Wang, Chem. Eng. J. 390 (2020), 124634. DOI URL
[45]	Y. Li, M. Zhou, B. Cheng, Y. Shao, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 56 (2020) 1-17. DOI URL
[46]	T. Yu, Z. Lv, K. Wang, K. Sun, X. Liu, G. Wang, L. Jiang, G. Xie, J. Power Sources 438 (2019), 227014.
[47]	H. Huang, Z. Fang, K. Yu, J. Lu, R. Cao, J. Mater. Chem. A 8 (2020) 3882-3891. DOI URL
[48]	X. Sun, H. Du, ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 7 (2019) 16320-16328. DOI URL
[49]	L. Yao, D. Wei, Y. Ni, D. Yan, C. Hu, Nano Energy 26 (2016) 248-256. DOI URL
[50]	Q. Liang, C. Zhang, S. Xu, M. Zhou, Z. Li, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 44 (2019) 29964-29974. DOI URL
[51]	X. Cui, Y.F. Zheng, H.Y. Yin, X.C. Song, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 17 (2015) 29354-29362. DOI URL
[52]	H. Liu, Z. Jin, Z. Xu, Dalton Trans. 44 (2015) 14368-14375. DOI URL
[53]	W. Xue, X. Hu, E. Liu, J. Fan, Appl. Surf. Sci. 447 (2018) 783-794. DOI URL
[54]	X. Ma, Q. Jiang, W. Guo, M. Zheng, W. Xu, F. Ma, B. Hou, RSC Adv. 6 (2016) 28263-28269. DOI URL
[55]	H. Zhao, X. Ding, B. Zhang, Y. Li, C. Wang, Sci. Bull. 62 (2017) 602-609. DOI URL
[56]	Y. Chen, J. Li, Z. Hong, B. Shen, B. Lin, B. Gao, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16 (2014) 8106-8113. DOI URL
[57]	A. Bakhsh, I.H. Gul, A. Maqsood, S. Wu, C. Chan, Y.C. Chang, J. Lumin, 179 (2016) 574-580.
[58]	M. Khazaee, W. Xia, G. Lackner, R.G. Mendes, M.H. Rummeli, M. Muhler, D.C. Lupascu, Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 26208. DOI PMID
[59]	Y. Talukdar, J.T. Rashkow, G. Lalwani, S. Kanakia, B. Sitharaman, Biomaterials 35 (2014) 4863-4877. DOI PMID
[60]	V. Jayaraman, B. Palanivel, C. Ayappan, M. Chellamuthu, A. Mani, Sep. Purif. Technol. 224 (2019) 405-420. DOI URL
[61]	Y. Chen, L. Guo, J. Mater. Chem, 22 (2012) 7507-7514.
[62]	Y. Zeng, X. Zhang, R. Qin, X. Liu, P. Fang, D. Zheng, Y. Tong, X. Lu, Adv. Mater. 31 (2019), 1903675. DOI URL
[63]	M.A. Alcudiaramos, M.O. Fuenteztorres, F. Ortizchi, C.G. Espinosagonzalez, N. Hernandezcomo, D.S. Garciazaleta, M.K. Kesarla, J.G. Torrestorres, V. Collinsmartinez, S. Godavarthi, Ceram. Int. 46 (2020) 38-45. DOI URL
[64]	Z. Wei, J. Liu, W. Fang, M. Xu, Z. Qin, Z. Jiang, W. Shangguan, Chem. Eng. J. 358 (2019) 944-954. DOI URL
[65]	L. Yang, X. Liu, L. Li, S. Zhang, H. Zheng, Y. Tang, H. Ju, Biosens. Bioelectron. 142 (2019), 111487. DOI URL
[66]	J. Jing, Z. Chen, C. Feng, Electrochim. Acta 297 (2019) 488-496. DOI URL
[67]	J. Luo, G. Dong, Y. Zhu, Z. Yang, C. Wang, Appl. Catal. B 214 (2017) 46-56. DOI URL
[68]	W. Guo, J. Zhang, G. Li, C. Xu, Appl. Surf. Sci. 470 (2019) 99-106. DOI URL

Significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of g-C₃N₄/CNTs/CdZnS with carbon nanotubes as the electron mediators

RichHTML

PDF (PC)

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

Figures/Tables 10

References 68

Related Articles 15

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments

[1]	Xing Zhou, Jingrui Deng, Changqing Fang, Wanqing Lei, Yonghua Song, Zisen Zhang, Zhigang Huang, Yan Li. Additive manufacturing of CNTs/PLA composites and the correlation between microstructure and functional properties [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 60(0): 27-34.
[2]	Mengting Cao, Fengli Yang, Quan Zhang, Juhua Zhang, Lu Zhang, Lingfeng Li, Xiaohao Wang, Wei-Lin Dai. Facile construction of highly efficient MOF-based Pd@UiO-66-NH₂@ZnIn₂S₄ flower-like nanocomposites for visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 76(0): 189-199.
[3]	Tingmin Di, Liuyang Zhang, Bei Cheng, Jiaguo Yu, Jiajie Fan. CdS nanosheets decorated with Ni@graphene core-shell cocatalyst for superior photocatalytic H₂ production [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 56(0): 170-178.
[4]	Yuting Gao, Feng Chen, Zhe Chen, Hongfei Shi. Ni_xCo_1-_xS as an effective noble metal-free cocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄ [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 56(0): 227-235.
[5]	Chuang Liu, Fanxin Zeng, Li Xu, Shuangyu Liu, Jincheng Liu, Xinping Ai, Hanxi Yang, Yuliang Cao. Enhanced cycling stability of antimony anode by downsizing particle and combining carbon nanotube for high-performance sodium-ion batteries [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 55(0): 81-88.
[6]	Xing Zhou, Jian Su, Chenxi Wang, Changqing Fang, Xinyu He, Wanqing Lei, Chaoqun Zhang, Zhigang Huang. Design, preparation and measurement of protein/CNTs hybrids: A concise review [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 46(0): 74-87.
[7]	Feng Zhang, Jia Sun, Yonggang Zheng, Peng-Xiang Hou, Chang Liu, Min Cheng, Xin Li, Hui-Ming Cheng, Zhen Chen. The importance of H₂ in the controlled growth of semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 54(0): 105-111.
[8]	X.X. Zhang, J.F. Zhang, Z.Y. Liu, W.M. Gan, M. Hofmann, H. Andrä, B.L. Xiao, Z.Y. Ma. Microscopic stresses in carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum matrix composites determined by in-situ neutron diffraction [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 54(0): 58-68.
[9]	Jennifer A. Rudd, Cathren E. Gowenlock, Virginia Gomez, Ewa Kazimierska, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Enrico Andreoli, Andrew R. Barron. Solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis of tenorite nanoparticle-decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(6): 1121-1127.
[10]	Yang Hu, Runjian Jiang, Jingbao Zhang, Chengsong Zhang, Guodong Cui. Synthesis and properties of magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes loaded with Fe₄N nanoparticles [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34(5): 886-890.
[11]	Pawel Mierczynski, Sergey V. Dubkov, Sergey V. Bulyarskii, Alexander A. Pavlov, Sergey N. Skorik, Alexey Yu Trifonov, Agnieszka Mierczynska, Eugene P. Kitsyuk, Sergey A. Gavrilov, Tomasz P. Maniecki, Dmitry G. Gromov. Growth of carbon nanotube arrays on various Ct_xMe_y alloy films by chemical vapour deposition method [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34(3): 472-480.
[12]	Zhao Ke, Liu Zhenyu, Xiao Bolyu, Ma Zongyi. Friction stir welding of carbon nanotubes reinforced Al-Cu-Mg alloy composite plates [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(9): 1004-1008.
[13]	Yuan Qiuhong, Zeng Xiaoshu, Wang Yanchun, Luo Lan, Ding Yan, Li Dejiang, Liu Yong. Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-4.0Zn alloy reinforced by NiO-coated CNTs [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(5): 452-460.
[14]	Hu Dan, Zhu Wei, Peng Yuncheng, Shen Shengfei, Deng Yuan. Flexible carbon nanotube-enriched silver electrode films with high electrical conductivity and reliability prepared by facile screen printing [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(10): 1113-1119.
[15]	Li Pengbo, Li Tiehu, Yan Hongxia. Mechanical, tribological and heat resistant properties of fluorinated multi-walled carbon nanotube/bismaleimide/cyanate resin nanocomposites [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(10): 1181-1186.