Synthesis and solar light catalytic properties of titania-cadmium sulfide hybrid nanostructures

Anew approach for the synthesis of hybrid nanostructured titania-cadmium sulfide photocatalysts has been suggested. Photocatalysts TiO2 on CdS and CdS on TiO2 were characterized by various techniques including transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocatalysts have shown high activity in the partial oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde under the action of solar light (lambda > 420 nm). The improved activity of the catalysts was attributed to the presence of heterojunctions between CdS and TiO2 nanoparticles that results in a more efficient charge separation as compared with pure CdS or TiO2. A better stability of the catalyst TiO2/CdS was likely due to the formation of a TiO2 protective coating on CdS nanoparticles. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.