Photoelectrochemical conversion of hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen using artificial light and solar radiation

Abstract

The CdS catalysed photoelectrochemical conversion of hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen was studied using a halogen lamp and sunlight as the illumination source. The process was optimized with respect to ruthenium dioxide loading, CdS concentration, and sulfide and sulfite ion concentrations. Solution volumes of 30 and 500 ml were investigated. The highest production rate from the 30 ml vessel was 12.9 of H 2 ml in 4 h, employing 5.0 mg/ml −1 CdS (0.25% RuO 2) and using the halogen lamp. On scaling-up to a 500 ml vessel, the highest production rate was 113.0 ml of H 2 in 4 h using solar radiation and 2.0 mg/ml −1 CdS (0.25% RuO 2).