Preparation of a Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Cd0.8Zn0.2S Nanocomposite and Its Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Activity

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and Cd0.8Zn0.2S nanocomposites were fabricated by a coprecipitation process with prefunctionalized SWCNTs as the starting material. The resultant SWCNT/Cd0.8Zn0.2S composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV/Vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The addition of SWCNTs improve both the visible-light-induced activity and stability for H-2 production of Cd0.8Zn0.2S, and 10 wt.-% SWCNT/Cd0.8Zn0.2S exhibits a maximum activity (632 mmolh(-1)) for H-2 production that is ca. 1.40 times higher than that (451 mmolh(-1)) of Cd0.8Zn0.2S alone. This enhanced photoactivity of Cd0.8Zn0.2S through the incorporation of SWCNTs can be attributed to the synergetic effects of the intrinsic properties of its components; the functionalized SWCNTs act as the supporting matrix and electron acceptor of Cd0.8Zn0.2S and cause an effective charge separation at the SWCNT/Cd0.8Zn0.2S interfaces and an improvement in the photoactivity and stability for H-2 production.