Nanocomposites of graphene-CdS as photoactive and reusable catalysts for visible-light-induced selective reduction process

Graphene （GR）-CdS nanocomposites with different weight addition ratios of GR have been assembled by a facile solvothermal treatment. The GR-CdS nanocomposite photocatalyst with an appropriate ratio of GR exhibits enhanced photoactivity for selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to the corresponding aromatic amines in water under visible light irradiation as compared with blank-CdS. The characterization of GR-CdS nanocomposite photocatalysts by a collection of techniques discloses that： i） GR can tune the microscopic morphology of CdS nanoparticles and improve light absorption intensity in the visible light region; ii） GR scaffolds act as an electron reservoir to trap and shuttle the electrons photogenerated from CdS semiconductor under the visible light illumination; iii） the introduction of GR enhances the adsorption capacity of GR-CdS nanocomposites toward the substrates, aromatic nitro compounds. The synergistic effect of these factors should account for the photoactivity advancement of GR-CdS nanocomposites toward the probe reactions. Furthermore, because the photogenerated holes in the system are trapped by the quenching agent ammonium oxalate, the as-obtained GR-CdS photocataiyst is stable during the photocatalytic reduction reactions. A reasonable model has also been proposed to illustrate the reaction mechanism.     

Preparation and characterization of a new CdS–NiFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/reduced graphene oxide photocatalyst and its use for degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation

In this paper, CdS nanoparticles as a visible light active photocatalyst were coupled by NiFe₂O₄ and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to form CdS–NiFe₂O₄/rGO nanocomposite by facile hydrothermal methods. The CdS–NiFe₂O₄/rGO nanocomposite shows enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light illumination. In addition to improved photocatalytic performance, this prepared nanocomposite shows increased photostability and is magnetically separable from the aqueous media. The degradation rate constant (k_app) of the optimized photocatalyst, i.e. CdS–NiFe₂O₄ (0.05)/rGO 25 wt% nanocomposite, was higher than the corresponding CdS and NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles by factors of 11.1 and 8.9, respectively. The synergistic interactions between CdS, NiFe₂O₄ and rGO lead to enhanced surface area, reduced aggregation of the nanoparticles, decreased the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, and increased the charge separation efficiency and effective electron–hole generation transfer. According to the obtained results, a proposed mechanism of the photodegradation of MB under visible light irradiation is finally mentioned.     

高效Ag@AgBr等离子体光催化剂的制备及可见光活性研究

采用水热法和光致还原法制备了具有等离子体共振效应的Ag@AgBr可见光催化剂,利用XRD,SEM,EDX,DRS和XPS等手段对产物的结构和性能进行表征,并研究了催化剂在可见光下对罗丹明B(RhB)的光催化降解性能,考察了催化剂的循环使用及捕获剂对Ag@AgBr光催化性能的影响.结果表明:贵金属Ag纳米粒子的表面等离子体共振效应可显著增强Ag@AgBr对可见光的吸收;催化剂对罗丹明B具有较高的可见光降解活性和稳定性,在可见光下照射90 min,对罗丹明B的降解率达95%以上,光催化剂循环使用5次仍具有良好的光催化降解活性;淬灭实验表明在Ag@AgBr降解罗丹明B过程中,吸附在催化剂表面的h+、·OH、O2·-是主要的活性物种.     

Ternary Monolithic ZnS/CdS/rGO Photomembrane with Desirable Charge Separation/Transfer Routes for Effective Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation

Highly efficient and easy recyclable monolithic photocatalysts with ideal separation/transport route for photogenerated charge carriers are much desired. In this work, a ZnO seed‐induced growth approach is developed to fabricate a ternary monolithic photomembrane, that is, ZnS/CdS heterojunction nanorods in situ grow into the interspaces of multilayer reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets (denoted as ZnS/CdS/rGO). The monolithic ZnS/CdS/rGO photomembrane can serve as an efficient visible‐light photoactive membrane for photocatalytic (PC) or photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen generation. The fast electron transport of 1D CdS nanorods, the excellent electronic conductivity of multilayer stacked rGO sheets, the intense visible‐light absorption of CdS, the unique hierarchical structure, and double heterojunctions (ZnS/CdS and CdS/rGO) efficiently boost the photogenerated electron‐hole pairs separation and transfer across the interfacial domain of the photomembrane under visible‐light irradiation. Furthermore, the superior stability and reusability of the photomembrane is achieved by the ideal process of photogenerated electron‐hole pair separation/transfer, i.e., holes transfer to ZnS and electrons transfer to rGO to inhibit CdS from photocorrosion.     

ZnO/graphene-oxide nanocomposite with remarkably enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance

In this work, a high-performance photocatalyst of ZnO/graphene-oxide (ZnO/GO) nanocomposite was synthesized via a facile chemical deposition route and used for the photodegradation of organic dye from water under visible light. The nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller N(2) adsorption-desorption analysis, and UV-Vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy. The ZnO/GO nanocomposite consisting of flower-like ZnO nanoparticles anchored on graphene-oxide sheets has a high surface area and hierarchical porosity, which is benefit to the adsorption and mass transfer of dye and oxygen species. For the photodegradation of organic dyes under visible light, ZnO/GO nanocomposite exhibited remarkably enhanced photocatalytic efficiency than graphene-oxide sheets and flower-like ZnO particles. Moreover, the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO/GO nanocomposite could be further improved by annealing the product in N(2) atmosphere. The outstanding photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the efficient photosensitized electron injection and repressed charge carriers recombination in the composite with GO as electron collector and transporter, thus leading to continuous generation of reactive oxygen species for the degradation of methylene blue.     

Active and recyclable ordered mesoporous magnetic organometallic catalyst as high‐performance visible light photocatalyst for degradation of organic pollutants

A novel light‐active magnetic Pd complex as a photocatalyst was prepared through bonding organometallics to mesoporous silica channels formed on the surface of silica‐coated iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanocomposite (denoted as Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@m‐SiO₂@PDA‐Pd(0); PDA = 1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarbaldehyde) is more efficient and has higher photocatalytic capability in the degradation of 2,4‐dichlorophenol under visible light irradiation compared with virgin Pd complex (PDA‐Pd). This noteworthy photodegradation activity can be due to the high dispersion of Pd nanoparticles. High yield, low reaction time and non‐toxicity of the catalyst are the main merits of this protocol. Also magnetic separation is an environmentally friendly alternative method for the separation and recovery of the catalyst, since it minimizes the use of solvents and auxiliary materials, reduces operation time and minimizes catalyst loss by preventing mass loss and oxidation. The produced Pd catalyst was characterised using various techniques. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy characterization was used for determining the structural properties of the Pd nanocatalyst.     

CdS/TiO2 composite films for methylene blue photodecomposition under visible light irradiation and non-photocorrosion of cadmium sulfide

Cadmium sulfide/titanium dioxide (CdS/TiO₂) composite films were grown on glass by the chemical bath deposition (DBQ) and sol-gel/dip coating methods, respectively, in order to increase the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ in photodegradation processes. The influence of the CdS deposition time on the morphology, optical absorption, and phononic modes of the composites were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed clearly the CdS deposit on the TiO₂ surface. The absorbance spectra indicated that the absorption of composites depends on the CdS deposition time and the absorption edges are shifted to the visible range. Micro Raman spectra exhibited the phonons associated with the TiO₂ anatase and the longitudinal optic (LO) phonon of CdS whose intensity increases with the CdS deposition time. Photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation was observed in all films and the results were compared with those obtained with TiO₂ films. The decomposition is higher for the composite with the CdS deposition time of 15 min. This optimal deposition time allows maximal enhancement of the charge carriers transfer to TiO₂ involved in the photocatalysis. No signal associated with cadmium was detected by the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), which means that the CdS photocorrosion does not occur since trap centers such as OH-Cd-S and Cl^?, which trap holes and inhibit the photocorrosion, are produced during the growth process.     

CdS/TiO_2纳米管可见光催化剂的制备、表征及光催化活性

以纳米颗粒TiO2(P25)为原料,采用水热合成法制备了具有锐钛矿晶型的TiO2纳米管(TNTs),考察了水热反应温度和焙烧温度对TNTs形貌和结构的影响.以具有双官能团结构的有机分子2-巯基丙酸为偶联剂,采用原位合成和在线组装的方法将CdS量子点(QDs)负载于TNTs上,制得了CdS/TNTs可见光催化剂,研究了2-巯基丙酸浓度对CdS负载量和CdS/TNTs光催化活性的影响.结果表明,在水热温度为150oC,焙烧温度为400oC的条件下,可制得管径为8～10nm,管壁为2～3nm,管长为数百纳米的锐钛矿型TNTs.经CdSQDs修饰后,TNTs的吸收阈值拓展至580nm,在模拟可见光照射下,CdS/TNTs表现出优异的光催化降解罗丹明B性能.     

Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities of 0D/1D heterojunction carbon quantum dot modified CdS nanowires

Zero-dimensional carbon dots (0D C-dots) and one-dimensional sulfide cadmium nanowires (1D CdS NWs) were prepared by microwave and solvothermal methods, respectively. A series of heterogeneous photocatalysts that consisted of 1D CdS NWs that were modified with 0D C-dots (C-dots/CdS NWs) were synthesized using chemical deposition methods. The mass fraction of C-dots to CdS NWs in these photocatalysts was varied. The photocatalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Their photocatalytic performance for the spitting of water and the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation were investigated. The photocatalytic performance of the C-dots/CdS NWs was enhanced when compared with that of the pure CdS NWs, with the 0.4% C-dots/CdS NWs exhibiting the highest photocatalytic activity for the splitting of water and the degradation of RhB. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to a higher carrier density because of the heterojunction between the C-dots and CdS NWs. This heterojunction improved the electronic transmission capacity and promoted efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes.     

Preparation, characterization, and photocatalytic activity of polyaniline/ZnO nanocomposite

Polyaniline (PANI)/zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite was synthesized by in-situ polymerization. X-ray diffraction patterns, UV?Cvisible spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposite. Nanostructured PANI/ZnO composite was used as photocatalyst in the photodegradation of methylene blue dye molecules in aqueous solution. The photocatalytic activity of PANI/ZnO nanocomposite under UV and visible light irradiation was evaluated and was compared with that of ZnO nanoparticles. ZnO/PANI core?Cshell nanocomposite had greater photocatalytic activity than ZnO nanoparticles and pristine PANI under visible light irradiation. According to these results, application of PANI as a shell on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles causes the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the PANI/ZnO nanocomposite. Also UV?Cvisible spectroscopy studies showed that the absorption peak for PANI/ZnO nanocomposite has a red shift toward visible wavelengths compared with the ZnO nanoparticles and pristine PANI. The effect of different operating conditions on the photocatalytic performance of PANI/ZnO nanocomposite in the photodegradation of methylene blue dye molecules was investigated in a bath experimental setup.     

Simple and low temperature preparation and characterization of CdS nanoparticles as a highly efficient photocatalyst in presence of a low-cost ionic liquid

A simple and low temperature method is proposed for preparation of CdS nanoparticles in presence of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, [EMIM] [EtSO₄], a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies display that the products are excellently crystallized in the form of cubic structure and size of the nanparticles prepared in presence of the RTIL is smaller than that prepared in water. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) investigations reveal that the products are very pure and nearly stoichiometric. The results obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate that the CdS nanoparticles prepared in presence of the RTIL have lower tendency for aggregation relative to the prepared sample in water. Diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) of the product prepared in the neat RTIL, shows 1.52 eV blue shift relative to bulk CdS, which can be attributed to quantum confinement effect of the CdS nanoparticles. A possible formation mechanism for CdS nanoparticles in presence of the RTIL is presented. Photocatalytic activity of the CdS nanoparticles towards photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using UV and visible lights was performed. The results demonstrate that observed firstorder rate constant for photodegradation of MB on CdS nanoparticles prepared in the neat RTIL are about 20 and 6 times greater than the prepared sample in water using visible and UV lights, respectively.     

CdS基光催化材料的研究进展

CdS因其具有较窄的带隙宽度、合适的能带位置和宽范围的可见光吸收等特点被广泛应用于可见光催化领域,然而CdS材料应用于实际生产仍然十分困难,纯的CdS光生载流子复合快、活性位点少、光腐蚀严重等问题亟待解决。本文总结了近几年具有优异光催化性能的CdS基复合材料设计案例,阐述了催化剂改性的原理,主要以加速电荷转移、提升电荷分离效率、产生更多的光生载流子为改性策略,并结合实际研究着重分类讨论了设计不同种类的异质结（如p-n型异质结、肖特基结、Z型异质结）、构建同质结和缺陷工程等手段应用于CdS基光催化剂的改性。最后对未来CdS基光催化剂的研究方向和可能面临的挑战做出了展望,以期望CdS基光催化剂广泛应用于实际生产生活中。     

Spherical NiWO4-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for effective visible light driven photocatalytic activity for the decolourisation of organic pollutants

A hybrid nanocomposite of nickel tungstate – reduced graphene oxide (NiWO₄-RGO) was prepared using a surfactant free hydrothermal approach. Resulting hybrid nanocomposite powder was grounded for forty minutes to ensure homogeneity and avoid agglomerations of particles. Resulting nanocomposite was characterised by XRD, FTIR, FESEM and EDX analysis. Photocatalytic activities of the characterised catalyst were examined by the decolourisation of Methylene blue (MB) and ortho-nitrophenol (ONP) under visible light irradiation were conducted at room temperature. The results confirmed that 15 wt% NiWO₄-RGO composite was degraded almost completely MB (95%) and ONP (82%) within 150 and 240 min respectively under visible light sources. The catalyst was reused and stable for successive six runs with loss of 10% of degradation rate.     

Microwave-Assisted Preparation of CdS Nanoparticles in a Halide-Free Ionic Liquid and Their Photocatalytic Activities

A microwave-assisted (4-6 min) method was used for the preparation of CdS nanoparticles in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate,a halide-free room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL).The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction,energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy,and scanning electron microscopy.Diffuse reflectance spectra showed a 1.33 eV blue shift relative to bulk CdS.The photocatalytic activities of the nanoparticles for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using UV and visible light ...     

一维CdTe@C@TiO2-Au异质结纳米线的制备及其光催化性能

先利用一步水热法制备了具有核壳结构的CdTe@C纳米线,然后以钛酸异丙酯（TIP）作为钛源对CdTe@C纳米线进行二氧化钛包覆,最后通过原位还原HAuCl4的方法将Au纳米粒子组装到CdTe@C@TiO₂表面形成CdTe@C@TiO₂-Au一维异质结纳米复合材料。用扫描电镜（SEM）,X射线能谱（EDX）,透射电镜（TEM）,X射线衍射（XRD）,X射线光电子能谱（XPS）和紫外-可见漫反射光谱（UV-Vis DRS）等对材料进行表征。探究了CdTe@C@TiO₂-Au催化剂在模拟可见光下降解罗丹明B（RhB）的光催化性能。实验结果表明：不同催化剂对RhB的光降解率不一样,其效果依次为CdTe@C@TiO₂-Au > CdTe@C@TiO₂ > pure TiO₂,其中CdTe@C@TiO₂-Au能在270 min的模拟太阳光下对RhB的光降解率达95.3%,这主要得益于CdTe、碳层、TiO₂和具有表面等离子效应的纳米Au的共同作用。     

Biomolecule‐Assisted Construction of Cadmium Sulfide Hollow Spheres with Structure‐Dependent Photocatalytic Activity

In this study, we report the synthesis of monodispersive solid and hollow CdS spheres with structure‐dependent photocatalytic abilities for dye photodegradation. The monodispersive CdS nanospheres were constructed with the assistance of the soulcarboxymthyi chitosan biopolymer under hydrothermal conditions. The solid CdS spheres were corroded by ammonia to form hollow CdS nanospheres through a dissolution–reprecipitation mechanism. Their visible‐light photocatalytic activities were investigated, and the results show that both the solid and the hollow CdS spheres have visible‐light photocatalytic abilities for the photodegradation of dyes. The photocatalytic properties of the CdS spheres were demonstrated to be structure dependent. Although the nanoparticles comprising the hollow spheres have larger sizes than those comprising the solid spheres, the hollow CdS spheres have better photocatalytic performances than the solid CdS spheres, which can be attributed to the special hollow structure.     

Construction of immobilized films photocatalysts with CdS clusters decorated by metal Cd and BiOCl for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics

A kind of CdS/Cd-BiOCl immobilized films photocatalyst was prepared. The optical and physicochemical properties of the CdS/Cd-BiOCl photocatalysts were analysed, and the detailed characterization revealed CdS/Cd-BiOCl films photocatalyst with good charge carrier separation effect. The reusabilities and photocatalytic properties of the samples were studied. The 15%CdS/Cd-BiOCl photocatalyst exhibited superior performance in photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) and favorable stability under visible light irradiation. As for the photodegradation rate of TC, 15%CdS/Cd-BiOCl exhibited an excellent photodegradation activity, which is 4.06 and 9.53 times higher than that of CdS/Cd and BiOCl, respectively. The results showed that dominant active species are ^?O₂^? and ^?OH radicals during photodegradation. The charge transfer in Z-scheme CdS/Cd-BiOCl films photocatalyst could synchronously generate conduct band (CB) electrons in BiOCl and valence band (VB) holes in CdS, and metal Cd served as electron mediator. This work can be a reference for the design of film photocatalysts and new insight for photodegradating towards contaminants.     

Spectroscopic investigations on the photodegradation of toluidine blue dye using cadmium sulphide nanoparticles prepared by a novel method

A novel method to prepare cadmium sulphide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) possessing nearly uniform size was adopted using eggshell membrane (ESM), under different pH conditions. Significant yield of CdS NPs with smallest possible size was obtained by increasing the pH of the reaction medium from acidic to alkaline. The above prepared CdS NPs have been characterized by UV-vis absorption as well as emission spectra, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The efficiency of the above prepared CdS NPs as a catalyst for the photodegradation of toluidine blue (TB) dye, as a function of pH as well as the ratio between the catalyst and the substrate was studied after irradiation with UV light. The results showed that an efficient interaction took place between the catalyst and the substrate to cause degradation of the selected dye. A maximum degradation of toluidine blue dye (90%) was observed at pH 8 which is higher than that of the efficiencies at pH 4 and pH 6.     

Nanosized cadmium sulfide in polyelectrolyte protected mesoporous sphere: A stable and regeneratable photocatalyst for visible-light-induced removal of organic pollutants

An unusually stable and regeneratable nanosized CdS-based catalyst for visible-light-induced photocatalysis was developed by combining the protection effect of polyelectrolyte and the spatial confinement of mesopores. This catalyst was fabricated by coating a layer of poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA) around nanosized CdS pre-incorporated hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) sphere, and named as CdS/HMS–PDDA. In contrast to the catalyst without PDDA-coating (CdS/HMS), which loses its activity at 3rd run, CdS/HMS–PDDA can completely degrade the organic pollutants for over 22 runs. Noticeably, CdS/HMS–PDDA can be facilely regenerated by H₂S treatment, and the catalyst shows the same capability as the fresh one even after 6 regenerations (accumulatively 151 runs). No cadmium leakage is detected from CdS/HMS–PDDA during the photocatalytic processes, promising its environmental compatibility. A series of characterization experiments reveal that the polyelectrolyte layer effectively prevents the cadmium species from leakage, and further delays the photocorrosion of CdS via a back reaction occurred by use of photogenerated electrons remaining in CdS, endowing the catalyst with high stability and regeneratability.     

可见光驱动Ag3PO4催化降解罗丹明B和甲基橙

采用简易离子交换法制备可见光驱动Ag3PO4光催化剂.通过X射线衍射、场发射扫描电子显微镜、N2吸附-脱附、紫外-可见漫反射光谱及傅里叶变换红外光谱对所制备的Ag3PO4催化剂进行表征.结果表明,在可见光照射下,Ag3PO4催化剂对罗丹明B降解表现出优越的光催化活性,但对甲基橙的降解活性低,这归因于Ag3PO4催化剂对甲基橙分子吸附量低.可见光照Ag3PO4反应体系中,空穴和超氧自由基共同发挥作用导致罗丹明B和甲基橙光催化降解.在罗丹明B的协助作用下,Ag3PO4催化剂对甲基橙的可见光催化降解活性大大增强,这是由于罗丹明B的存在可产生更多的超氧自由基,从而使甲基橙进一步降解.