Suitable preparation of Bi2S3 nanorods –TiO2 heterojunction semiconductors with improved photocatalytic hydrogen production from water/methanol decomposition

Cinthia García-Mendoza, Socorro Oros-Ruiz, Agileo Hernández-Gordillo, Rosendo López, Gabriela Jácome-Acatitla, Héctor A. Calderón, Ricardo Gómez

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28 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen, as a clean and renewable energy source has become very attractive due to the deterioration of the global environment. In this way photocatalytic water-splitting for H2 production using light energy in the presence of semiconductors capable of absorbing such irradiation has become a promising approach for generation of H2. The intensity of incident solar energy on the earth's surface is 1000 W m−2 and only 4% of the total solar energy corresponds to UV light (40 W m−2), but this could be sufficient for H2 production from water splitting with very efficient semiconductors using the UV solar energy radiation. RESULTS: The synthesis of Bi2S3–TiO2 composites using TiO2 sol–gel (3, 6 and 9 Bi2S3 wt%) was performed by a solvothermal method and these materials were evaluated under UV light irradiation (254 nm, 2 W) for photocatalytic hydrogen production from a water/methanol solution. The optimal loading was obtained for the Bi2S3–TiO2 composite at 6 wt% showing a production of 2460 µmol h−1 g−1 of hydrogen, increasing by a factor of 4 the production of bare TiO2 at 564 µmol h−1 g−1. The Bi2S3–TiO2 composite presented good stability after three complete cycles of reaction, proving resistance to corrosion effects. CONCLUSION: Bi2S3–TiO2 presented a higher photocatalytic activity than bare TiO2 for an optimal content of 6 wt% Bi2S3–TiO2.This improvement is attributed to enhanced absorption in the UV-Vis region of the Bi2S3–TiO2 composite, and a higher transference of the charge carriers in the Bi2S3–TiO2 heterojunctions with a hindered recombination e/h+.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2198-2204
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
Volume91
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Aug 2016

Keywords

  • BiS nanorods
  • TiO
  • heterojunction
  • hydrogen production
  • photocatalysis

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