Enhancement of photocatalytic activity from HCa2TaxNb3−xO10 (x = 0, 1), co-intercalated with sulfides particles

Abstract

A novel heterogeneous photocatalysts HCa2TaxNb3−xO10/(ZnS, PbS) (x=0, 1) were fabricated by intercalation and exchange reactions. The physicochemical properties of the photocatalysts were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transformed infrared spectra (FT-IR) and Photoluminescence technique (PL). The photocatalytic activity of the HCa2TaxNb3−xO10/(ZnS, PbS) was evaluated by photocatalytic H2 production in an aqueous solution containing SO32− and S2− as a sacrificial agent under UV light irradiation. HCa2TaxNb3−xO10/(ZnS, PbS) possessed a higher gallery height than that of HCa2TaxNb3−xO10, which indicated the formation of an intercalated nanomaterial and a heterogeneous catalyst. The results showed that these samples presented strong photocatalytic activity even without co-catalyst noble metal Pt. The photocatalytic activity of HCa2TaxNb3−xO10/(ZnS, PbS) was several times higher than that of unsupported HCa2TaxNb3−xO10.The heterogeneous electron transfer from guest ZnS, PbS to host HCa2TaxNb3−xO10 layer and the substitution of Ta for partial Nb seemed to play an important role to enhance the photocatalytic activity.