Sulfonated graphene oxide-doped zincoxysulfade composites with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production performance

Sulfonic acid groups were introduced onto graphene oxide (GO) via sulfonation reaction to prepare sulfonated graphene oxide (SG). Then, zincoxysulfide-SG composite photo catalysts were prepared by mixing SG and zincoxysulfide (ZnS1-xOx) nanoparticles. The morphology, crystalline properties, bandgap, and photocatalytic H-2 production activity of these photocatalysts were investigated by FESEM, XRD, Mott-Schottky plots, and H-2 production tests. The photocatalytic H-2 production rates of Ce-doped zincoxysulfide SG photocatalyst under UV and visible light irradiation reach 2100 and 700 mu mol g(-1) h(-1), respectively. The improved H-2 evolution activity of Ce-doped zincoxysulfide SG composite photocatalysts can be attributed to the strong interaction between SG sheets and zincoxysulfide nanoparticles. By introducing sulfonated graphene oxide and Ce-doping, SG zincoxysulfide photocatalysts exhibit stable and high photocatalytic H-2 production activity, resulting from increased specific surface area, efficient charge separation, decreased bandgap and enhanced light absorption. After 3 cycles, the photocatalytic activity of recycled C2ZG2 photocatalyst remains at about 93.8% of its original activity. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.