Interface-optimized Rh-ZnO/rGO/ZnS heterostructure constructed via Rh-induced dynamic micro-cell growth for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Improving the Surface Oxygen Vacancy Concentration of Bi2O4 through the Pretreatment of the NaBiO3·2H2O Precursor as a High-Performance Visible Light Photocatalyst

“…Photocatalytic solar energy conversion provides a sustainable approach to resolve the increasing environmental issues, which threaten the health of humans and living organisms. − Hitherto, numerous bismuth-based catalysts including BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I), − Bi 2 O 3 , BiO 2– x , Bi 4 O 7 , and Bi 2 O 4 have gained widespread concern in the field of photodegradation of environmental contaminants. Thanks to their outstanding physicochemical features such as the mixed-valence states (Bi 3+ and Bi 5+ ), narrow band gap (∼2.0 eV), and excellent optical absorption property, Bi 2 O 4 rods with limited surface oxygen vacancies have been considered as a favorable visible light catalyst for environmental remediation, including water purification and refractory pollutant decomposition. − However, owing to the rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers, the photocatalytic activity of single Bi 2 O 4 is far from the demand of practical applications .…”

Coupling Reliable Interfacial Carrier Migration Channels with Visible-Light Response Antennas in ZnO-Based Heterostructure for Ameliorated Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

“…Based on collected M-S data for ZnO, ZnS, and CdS at different frequencies (Figure c–e), it is clear that ZnO, ZnS, and CdS are n-type semiconductors with flat-band potentials of −0.38, −1.27, and −0.91 V vs Ag/AgCl, respectively. Conventionally, this value for n-type semiconductor is approximately estimated as its conduct band (CB) potential. , As a result, ZnO, ZnS, and CdS exhibit CB potentials of −0.38, −1.27, and −0.91 V, respectively, which are converted to −0.18, −1,07, and −0.71 V vs NHE, respectively, according to E NHE = E Ag/AgCl + 0.197 . Incorporating the bandgap data obtained from K-M transformation, their corresponding valence band (VB) potentials are 3.04, 2.29, and 1.43 V, respectively.…”

“…Since the performance of photocatalysts can be dominated by the solar-driven carrier behavior including transportation resistance, recombination rate, lifetime, and separation efficiency, it is quite essential to study carriers generated in the Cd@C-ZGS utilizing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), steady-state photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy, and also electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Figure a displays the EIS plots of ZnO, ZnS, CdS, and Cd@C-ZGS processed by equivalent circuit fitting, , in which the curvature radius and the impedance value (Table S2) of Cd@C-ZGS is the smallest. The above result demonstrates that the photogenerated carriers in Cd@C-ZGS have the least resistance during migration .…”

“…The migration of carriers is governed by the carrier transfer kinetics, which directly affects the smooth occurrence of the redox reaction and the STH efficiency . As a result, the carrier behavior at the interfaces of heterostructures attracts a great deal of attention, specifically in artificial photosynthesis systems based on the Z-scheme pathway, where spatial separation of reduction and oxidation reactions can be achieved. − The spatial dissociation of the oxidation and reduction sites is achieved by rational nanospace assembly of materials with staggered band structures, in which low potential electrons in the conduct band of component ‘A’ cross the phase boundary and recombine with the holes in the valence band of component ‘B’ (Figure a). However, during long-range migration, the photogenerated carriers can readily undergo bulk recombination within the components, thus breaking the carrier migration based on the Z-scheme.…”

Hollow NiP–ZnIn2S4 Heterojunction for Simultaneous Hydrogen and Pyruvic Acid Production from Lactic Acid Photoreforming

“…As a solution, a cocatalyst is usually used to lower the overpotential of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and prevent electron/hole pair recombination. Noble metals, such as Pt, − Pd, − Ru, − and Rh, − have proven to be highly efficient in this line, but their high costs and low availability limit their application on a large scale. Instead, transition metals, such as Co − and Ni, are cost-effective cocatalyst candidates for HER.…”