Biomolecule-Assisted Synthesis of Nanocrystalline CdS and Bi₂S₃ for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Caolong Li, Wei Chen, Jian Yuan, Mingxia Chen, Wenfeng Shangguan

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DOI: 10.4236/wjnse.2011.13012                

Abstract

Novel CdS and Bi₂S₃ hollow nanospheres were prepared by simple “one-pot” biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal method using glutathione (GSH) as sulfur source and structure-directing reagents. The single-phase CdS and Bi₂S₃ photocatalysts were capable of evolving H₂ from aqueous solutions containing a sacrificial electron donor, under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm) with Pt co-catalyst. A possible formation mechanism of complexation, S-C bond rupture, and spherical aggregate followed isotropic Ostwal ripening or anisotropic Ostwal ripening was proposed in this study.

Keywords

CdS, Bi₂S₃, Photocatalyst, Hydrogen Evolution, Ostwal Ripening

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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