Hybrid photocatalytic water splitting for an expanded range of the solar spectrum with cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide catalysts

In this paper, an experimental study of photo-catalytic water splitting with cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide photo-catalysts is performed in a dual-cell reactor to investigate the effects of radiation intensity and photo-catalyst concentration on hydrogen and oxygen production rates. Hybridization of the photo-catalytic process is examined with multi catalysts and electric potential bias to enhance the productivity of the reactor and sustain the reaction rate. The hydrogen production of 0.41 mmol h−1 with 0.75% (v/v) ZnS is improved by almost 2 times higher than past studies due to illumination of 0.2% (v/v) CdS under 1 sun in a hybrid reactor. The productivity of the reactor is significantly enhanced at light intensities more than 1000 W m−2. The cadmium sulfide catalyst is found to be an inefficient absorbent of light energy, but it shows higher energy and exergy efficiencies compared with ZnS photo-catalysts in a light-driven water splitting process.

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► We developed a new photo-catalytic and electro-catalytic water splitting systems.
► Hybridization of the photo-catalytic process is examined with multi catalysts.
► Different light intensities and photo-catalyst concentrations are examined.
► CdS shows higher energy and exergy efficiencies compared with ZnS photo-catalysts.
► The hydrogen production of 0.41 mmol h−1 with 3% (w/v) ZnS is improved by almost 2 times due to hybridization.