Constructing g-C3N4/Cd1−xZnxS-Based Heterostructures for Efficient Hydrogen Production under Visible Light

Development of stable S-scheme 2D-2D g-C3N4/CdS nanoheterojunction arrays for enhanced visible light photomineralisation of nitrophenol priority water pollutants

The investigation focused on creating and studying a new 2D-2D S-scheme CdS/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst. Various techniques examined its structure, composition, and optical properties. This included XRD, XPS, EDS, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, DRS, and PL. The heterojunction showed a reduced charge recombination rate and more excellent stability, helping to lessen photocorrosion. This was due to photogenerated holes moving more quickly out of the CdS valence band. The interface between g-C3N4 and CdS favored a synergistic charge transfer. A suitable flat band potential measurement supported enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in degrading 4-nitrophenol and 2-nitrophenol. This resulted in remarkable degradation efficiency of up to 99% and mineralization of up to 79%. The findings highlighted the practical design of the new 2D-2D S-scheme CdS/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst and its potential application in various energy and environmental settings, such as pollutant removal, hydrogen production, and CO2 conversion.

Comprehensive Review on g-C3N4-Based Photocatalysts for the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production under Visible Light

Currently, the synthesis of active photocatalysts for the evolution of hydrogen, including photocatalysts based on graphite-like carbon nitride, is an acute issue. In this review, a comprehensive analysis of the state-of-the-art studies of graphic carbon nitride as a photocatalyst for hydrogen production under visible light is presented. In this review, various approaches to the synthesis of photocatalysts based on g-C₃N₄ reported in the literature were considered, including various methods for modifying and improving the structural and photocatalytic properties of this material. A thorough analysis of the literature has shown that the most commonly used methods for improving g-C₃N₄ properties are alterations of textural characteristics by introducing templates, pore formers or pre-treatment method, doping with heteroatoms, modification with metals, and the creation of composite photocatalysts. Next, the authors considered their own detailed study on the synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride with different pre-treatments and respective photocatalysts that demonstrate high efficiency and stability in photocatalytic production of hydrogen. Particular attention was paid to describing the effect of the state of the platinum cocatalyst on the activity of the resulting photocatalyst. The decisive factors leading to the creation of active materials were discussed.

Fabrication of WS2/WSe2 Z-Scheme Nano-Heterostructure for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Removal of Congo Red under Visible Light

In this study, a novel tungsten disulfide/tungsten diselenide (WS2/WSe2) heterojunction photocatalyst by a facile hydrothermal process with great capable photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen evolution from water and organic compound removal was discussed. The WS2/WSe2 heterojunction photocatalyst to form heterojunctions to inhibit the quick recombination rate of photo-response holes and electrons is reflected to be a useful method to enhance the capability of photocatalysis hydrogen production. The hydrogen production rate of the WS2/WSe2 photocatalyst approach is 3856.7 μmol/g/h, which is 12 and 11 folds the efficiency of bare WS2 and WSe2, respectively. Moreover, the excellent photocatalytic performance for Congo Red (CR) removal (92.4%) was 2.4 and 2.1 times higher than those of bare WS2 and WSe2, respectively. The great photocatalytic efficiency was owing to the capable electrons and holes separation of WS2/WSe2 and the construction of Z-scheme heterostructure, which possessed vigorous photocatalytic oxidation and reduction potentials. The novel one-dimensional structure of WS2/WSe2 heterojunction shortens the transport pathway of photo-induced electrons and holes. This work provided an insight to the pathway of interfacial separation and transferring for induced charge carriers, which can refer to the interfacial engineering of developed nanocomposite photocatalysts. It possessed great capable photocatalytic efficiency of hydrogen production and organic dye removal. This study offers an insight to the route of interfacial migration and separation for induced charge carriers to generating clean hydrogen energy and solve environmental pollution issue.

Sulfuric Acid Solutions of [Pt(OH)4(H2O)2]: A Platinum Speciation Survey and Hydrated Pt(IV) Oxide Formation for Practical Use

The systematic study of the platinum speciation in sulfuric acid solutions of platinum (IV) hydroxide {[Pt(OH)₄(H₂O)₂], HHPA} was performed with the use of a combination of methods. Depending on the prevailing Pt form, the three regions of H₂SO₄ concentration were marked: (1) up to 3 M H₂SO₄ forms unstable solutions gradually generating the PtO₂·xH₂O particles; (2) 4-12 M H₂SO₄, where the series of mononuclear aqua-sulfato complexes ([Pt(SO₄)_n(H₂O)_6-n]^4-2n, where n = 0···4) dominate; and (3) 12 M and above, where, along with [Pt(SO₄)_n(H₂O)_6-n]^4-2n species, the polynuclear Pt(IV) species and complexes with a bidentate coordination mode of the sulfato ligand are formed. For the first time, the salts of the aqua-hydroxo Pt(IV) cation [Pt(OH)₂(H₂O)₄]SO₄ (triclinic and monoclinic phases) were isolated and studied with a combination of methods, including the single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The formation of PtO₂·xH₂O particles in sulfuric acid solutions (1-3 M) of HHPA and their spectral characteristics and morphology were studied. The deposition of PtO₂·xH₂O was highlighted as a convenient method to prepare various Pt-containing heterogeneous catalysts. This possibility was illustrated by the preparation of Pt/g-C₃N₄ catalysts, which show an excellent performance in catalytic H₂ generation under visible light irradiation with a quantum efficiency up to 5% and a rate of H₂ evolution up to 6.2 mol·h^-1 per gram of loaded platinum.