Issue 26, 2015

Shape effects of Pt nanoparticles on hydrogen production via Pt/CdS photocatalysts under visible light

Abstract

The shape effects of Pt cocatalysts on the photocatalytic activity of Pt/CdS for hydrogen production were investigated for the first time. Nano-cubic and nano-spherical Pt particles were prepared via a shape-and-size-controlled technology and loaded onto a CdS semiconductor photocatalyst for visible light photocatalytic hydrogen production from an aqueous ammonium sulfite solution. Unlike conventional photodeposition and impregnation methods, shape-controlled synthesis is able to produce cubic Pt cocatalysts with tunable sizes. Pt nanocube loaded Pt/CdS photocatalysts show strong shape enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to those of Pt nanospherical particle loaded Pt/CdS photocatalysts. With the same Pt loading and Pt particle size the efficiencies of Pt nanocube loaded Pt/CdS catalysts are 52% and 31% higher than those of Pt nanosphere loaded Pt/CdS photocatalysts at 5.7 nm and 4.0 nm, respectively. In comparison with Pt/CdS photocatalysts prepared via photodeposition, more than 25% efficiency improvement has been achieved with the Pt nanocube loaded Pt/CdS photocatalysts. The electrochemical characterization of Pt nanoparticles revealed that photocatalytic activities of Pt/CdS photocatalysts rely on both the shape and size of the Pt particles. The higher the electrocatalytic activity of the Pt nanoparticles, the higher the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Graphical abstract: Shape effects of Pt nanoparticles on hydrogen production via Pt/CdS photocatalysts under visible light

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Jan 2015
Accepted
20 May 2015
First published
22 May 2015

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015,3, 13884-13891

Author version available

Shape effects of Pt nanoparticles on hydrogen production via Pt/CdS photocatalysts under visible light

M. Luo, W. Yao, C. Huang, Q. Wu and Q. Xu, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 13884 DOI: 10.1039/C5TA00218D

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