Photoelectrochemical properties of ZnS- and CdS-TiO 2 nanostructured photocatalysts: Aqueous sulfidation as a smart route to improve catalyst stability
Résumé
ZnS- and CdS-TiO2 hetero-nanostructures were synthesized by impregnation of polyol-made ZnS, CdS quantum dots (QDs) on the surface of TiO2 nanofibers that were grown on Ti sheets by controlled corrosion. Due to their finite size, the grafted QDs were partly oxidized, when air exposed, reducing their ability to sensitize TiO2 toward photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting application. We showed that a subsequent aqueous sulfidation allowed recovering the initial chemical composition of the produced catalysts improving their chemical stability and consequently their PEC properties.