title: Hydrothermal synthesis of a doped Mn-Cd-S solid solution as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for H2 evolution.
abstract: The effect of metal doping (i.e., with Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag and Sn) on the crystal structure of hydrothermally synthesized Mn(1-x)Cd(x) S (where x≈0.1) is studied with the aim of enhancing photocatalytic activity. In contrast to the low-crystalline, undoped solid solution Mn(1-x)Cd(x)S, Ni doping yields a well-crystallized wurtzite-type Mn-Cd-S solid solution, which precipitates as planar hexagonal facets of several hundred nanometers in size, together with much larger grains of α-MnS (>10 μm). By removing inactive α-MnS through sedimentation, a single phase with composition of Ni(0.01)Mn(0.56)Cd(0.43)S is obtained successfully. The Ni doping achieved a threefold higher photocatalytic activity for H(2) evolution from a 0.1 M Na(2)S/0.5 M Na(2)SO(3) solution under visible-light irradiation (λ≥420 nm). The apparent quantum yield of 1 wt % Pt-loaded Ni(0.01)Mn(0.56)Cd(0.43)S measured at λ=420 nm reached 25 %. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is most likely the result of a decreased concentration of defects, responsible for electron-hole recombination, in the active solid-solution phase and a slightly higher bandgap energy (2.4 eV).
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeue
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiiba
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machida
mesh_terms: D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D017895:Manganese Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013440:Sulfides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D017895:Manganese Compounds; D012996:Solutions; D013440:Sulfides; C034939:cadmium sulfide; D006859:Hydrogen; C041368:manganese sulfide