Zn x Cd1-x S tunable band structure-directing photocatalytic activity and selectivity of visible-light reduction of CO2 into liquid solar fuels

Lanqin Tang; Libang Kuai; Yichang Li; Haijin Li; Yong Zhou; Zhigang Zou

doi:10.1088/1361-6528/aaa272

Zn _x Cd_1-x S tunable band structure-directing photocatalytic activity and selectivity of visible-light reduction of CO₂ into liquid solar fuels

Nanotechnology. 2018 Feb 9;29(6):064003. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/aaa272.

Authors

Lanqin Tang¹, Libang Kuai, Yichang Li, Haijin Li, Yong Zhou, Zhigang Zou

Affiliation

¹ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, People's Republic of China. National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Department of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China. Eco-materials and Renewable Energy Research Center (ERERC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 29251626
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aaa272

Abstract

A series of Zn _x Cd_1-x S monodispersed nanospheres were successfully synthesized with tunable band structures. As-prepared Zn _x Cd_1-x S solid solutions show much enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for CO₂ photoreduction in aqueous solutions under visible light irradiation, relative to pure CdS analog. Methanol (CH₃OH) and acetaldehyde (CH₃CHO) are the major products of CO₂ photoreduction for the solid solutions with x = 0, 0.2, and 0.5. Interestingly, Zn_0.8Cd_0.2S photocatalyst with a wide band gap can also additionally generate ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) besides CH₃OH and CH₃CHO. The balance between the band structure-directing redox capacity and light absorption should be considered to influence both product yield and selectivity of CO₂ photoreduction. The possible photoreduction mechanism was tentatively proposed.