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Highly efficient H2 evolution over ZnO-ZnS-CdS heterostructures from an aqueous solution containing SO32- and S2- ions

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Abstract

ZnO-ZnS-CdS heterostructure photocatalysts for water splitting were designed and prepared by a wet chemistry method. It was found that ZnO-ZnS-CdS heterostructures are highly active photocatalysts for H2 evolution under simulated solar light irradiation in an aqueous solution containing SO32- and S2- ions as sacrificial reagents. H2 evolution with (ZnO)2-(ZnS)1-(CdS)1 heterostructure reaches up to 2790 µmol h-1 g-1. The photoexcited electrons in the ZnO-ZnS-CdS heterostructures have a much longer lifetime (>225 ns) than that of the sole ZnO, ZnS, and CdS (<65 ns). The favorable interface processes of the heterostructures make a significant contribution to high photocatalytic H2 evolution rate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, People’s Republic of China

    Xuewen Wang, Gang Liu, Zhi-Gang Chen, Feng Li & Hui-Ming Cheng

  2. ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, School of Engineering and Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Gao Qing Lu

Authors
  1. Xuewen Wang
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  2. Gang Liu
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  3. Zhi-Gang Chen
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  4. Feng Li
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  5. Gao Qing Lu
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  6. Hui-Ming Cheng
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Correspondence to Gao Qing Lu.

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Wang, X., Liu, G., Chen, ZG. et al. Highly efficient H2 evolution over ZnO-ZnS-CdS heterostructures from an aqueous solution containing SO32- and S2- ions. Journal of Materials Research 25, 39–44 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0018

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0018

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