Carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction to methane by stabilized nano ZnS on acid-activated Montmorillonite

ZnS photocatalyst is stabilized with different amounts of cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide on Montmorillonite and acid-activated Montmorillonite (AAMMT). These catalysts were investigated for the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to methane, they were prepared via a simple solution method with different amounts of cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) stabilizer to examine its effects on the basal spacing, reaction kinetics, and products yield. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were performed on the catalyst to characterize it. The average yield of hydrogen and methane in AAMMT samples was found to be higher than in Montmorillonites (MMT) samples, which was regarded as a consequence of the higher active area and the optimum amount of CTAB.