• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2017

CdZnS/ZnO composite was prepared through low-temperature precipitation and drying method. The property of CdZnS/ZnO as a recyclable photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation was examined. The sample was characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, XPS, UV-vis DRS and photoluminescence techniques before and after repeated reaction to investigate the change of properties during the photocatalytic reaction. During repeated reaction, the CdZnS/ZnO showed an improved photocatalytic activity and recycle stability. Among two feasible reaction pathways for photocatalytic degradation of RhB, the cleavage of conjugated chromophore was found to predominate over N-dealkylation of chromophore skeleton in the present work. The results indicate that the CdZnS/ZnO, prepared by a simple precipitation method, can be used as a visible-light driven photocatalyst with enhanced cycle stability and activity.

• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2019

CdS and CdZnS/ZnO materials were prepared using precipitation method and used as photocatalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The prepared photocatalysts were also characterized by XRD and UV-vis DRS. The results indicated that the photocatalysts with intended crystalline structures were successfully obtained and both the CdS and CdZnS/ZnO can absorb visible light as well as UV. The photocatalytic activities were examined with the addition of scavenger for various active chemical species and the difference of reaction mechanisms over the catalysts were discussed. The $CH_3OH$, KI and p-benzoquinone were used as scavengers for ${\cdot}OH$ radical, photogenerated positive hole and ${\cdot}O_2{^-}$ radical, respectively. The CdS and CdZnS/ZnO showed different photocatalytic degradation mechanisms of RhB. It can be postulated that ${\cdot}O_2{^-}$ radical is the main active species for the reaction over CdS photocatalyst, while the photogenerated positive hole for CdZnS/ZnO photocatalyst. As a result, the predominant reaction pathways over CdS and CdZnS/ZnO photocatalysts were found to be the dealkylation of chromophore skeleton and the cleavage of the conjugated chromophore structure, respectively. The above results may be mainly ascribed to the difference of band edge potential of conduction and valence bands in CdS, CdZnS and ZnO semiconductors and the redox potentials for formation of active chemical species.