Synergy between AgInS2 quantum dots and ZnO nanopyramids for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and phenol degradation

María C Nevárez Martínez; Beata Bajorowicz; Tomasz Klimczuk; Andrzej Żak; Justyna Łuczak; Wojciech Lisowski; Adriana Zaleska-Medynska

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123250

Synergy between AgInS₂ quantum dots and ZnO nanopyramids for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and phenol degradation

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Nov 5:398:123250. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123250. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Authors

María C Nevárez Martínez¹, Beata Bajorowicz², Tomasz Klimczuk³, Andrzej Żak⁴, Justyna Łuczak⁵, Wojciech Lisowski⁶, Adriana Zaleska-Medynska⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: maria.nevarezmartinez@phdstud.ug.edu.pl.
² Department of Environmental Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: beata.bajorowicz@ug.edu.pl.
³ Department of Solid State Physics, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: tomasz.klimczuk@pg.edu.pl.
⁴ Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: andrzej.zak@pwr.edu.pl.
⁵ Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: justyna.luczak@pg.edu.pl.
⁶ Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Science, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: wlisowski@ichf.edu.pl.
⁷ Department of Environmental Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: adriana.zaleska-medynska@ug.edu.pl.

PMID: 32768851
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123250

Abstract

Despite the unique properties of single semiconductor nanomaterials and quantum dots, poor photocatalytic activity has characterized them and the fabrication of nanocomposites has become necessary to enhance their photocatalytic performance. Thus, AgInS₂ quantum dots (AIS QDs, 4.0 ± 1.6 nm), have been successfully prepared and loaded onto ZnO nanopyramids (ZnO NPy). The effect of the nominal amount of AIS QDs decorating ZnO NPy on the morphology, optical properties, structure and surface chemistry of the nanocomposites was systematically studied. Photocatalytic tests revealed that the 1%AIS@ZnO NPy sample reported the highest photoactivity for phenol degradation in aqueous phase (92 % after one hour of irradiation, λ > 350 nm) that was 4 and 68 times the reported for bare ZnO NPy and AIS QDs, respectively. Accordingly, the maximum photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, under UV-vis light, for the same sample corresponded to 17 and 21 times the estimated for pristine ZnO NPy and AIS QDs, respectively. Hence, the AIS QDs - ZnO system has been applied in the photocatalytic field for the first time in this work and a synergetic effect was confirmed owing to a strong heterojunction formation between both semiconductors that allows an enhanced charge carrier separation, improving the photocatalytic activity.

Keywords: AgInS(2) Quantum dots; Composite photocatalyst; Hydrogen production; Phenol degradation; ZnO Nanopyramids.