Solid-state synthesis of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites and their decoration with NiS cocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen production
Oskenbay A. Salikhov D. Rofman O. Rakhimbek I. Shalabayev Z. Khan N. Soltabayev B. Mentbayeva A. Baláž M. Tatykayev B.
1 October 2023Elsevier Ltd
Ceramics International
2023#49Issue 1932246 - 32260 pp.
Herein was demonstrated the facile solid-state synthesis of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites using planetary ball milling followed by subsequent thermal treatment. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that the ZnS/ZnO products are nanocrystalline with an estimated crystallite size of less than 60 nm. A transmission electron microscope has demonstrated the presence of spherical heterostructures and core-shell structured ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites with the size being 40–80 nm in diameter. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of Zn–O and Zn–S bonds. The formation of a thin boundary between the ZnS and ZnO phases, where the sulfur oxidation state varies from −2 to +6, was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Degradation of methylene blue and Orange II organic dyes was used to assess the photocatalytic activity of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites, and the nanocomposites of ZnS/ZnO, with a mass ratio of ∼1:1, demonstrated the highest visible light photocatalytic activity. For photocatalytic hydrogen production experiments, the surface of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites was in situ decorated with NiS nanoparticles, where the mass content of NiS was 1.5%. The presence of NiS cocatalyst promotes the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges, thereby increasing the photocatalytic activity of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites during hydrogen generation. The apparent quantum efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen generation using ZnS/ZnO-3h-NiS photocatalyst was equal to 1.13%. This contribution shows the possibility to prepare nano-structured photocatalysts via mechanochemistry.
Core/shell , Heterostructures , Hydrogen generation , Mechanochemical synthesis , Nanocomposites , Photocatalysis , Solid-state , Zinc oxide , Zinc sulfide
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Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Al-Farabi Ave. 71, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, Budapest, 1053, Hungary
Laboratory of Radiation Materials Science, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov St. 1, Almaty, 050032, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 45, Kosice, 04001, Slovakia
Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry
Department of Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory of Radiation Materials Science
Department of Chemical and Material Engineering
Institute of Geotechnics
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