Microwave hydrothermal synthesis of WO3(H2O)0.333/CdS nanocomposites for efficient visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

• Published in: Frontiers of materials science Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 589 - 600
• Main Authors: Ma, Tingting, Li, Zhen, Liu, Wen, Chen, Jiaxu, Wu, Moucui, Wang, Zhenghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Higher Education Press 01.12.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Catalytic activity; Chemistry and Materials Science; Heterojunctions; Hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen production; Materials Science; Nanocomposites; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Research Article; Synthesis; nanocomposite; hydrogen evolution; photocatalysis; semiconductor
• ISSN: 2095-025X; 2095-0268
• DOI: 10.1007/s11706-021-0581-5

WO 3 (H 2 O) 0.333 /CdS (WS) nanocomposites are obtained via a rapid microwave hydrothermal method, and they are served as visible light-driven photocatalysts for the H 2 generation. By using Pt as the cocatalyst, the WS nanocomposite with 70 wt.% CdS reaches the H 2 evolution rate of 10.32 mmol·g −1 ·h −1 , much quicker than those of WO 3 (H 2 O) 0.333 and CdS. The cycling test reveals the good photocatalytic stability of the WS nanocomposite. The carrier transfer mechanism of WS nanocomposites can be explained by the Z-scheme mechanism. The existence of the Z-scheme heterojunction greatly helps to separate photogenerated carriers and thus improves the photocatalytic activity. The present work provides a rapid synthesis method for preparing Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts, and may be helpful for the green production of hydrogen.