Synergistic Effect of Redox Dual PdO x/MnOx Cocatalysts on the Enhanced H2 Production Potential of a SnS/α-Fe2O3 Heterojunction via Ethanol Photoreforming.

Abstract

In the quest for optimal H2 evolution (HE) through ethanol photoreforming, a dual cocatalyst-modified heterocatalyst strategy is utilized. Tin(II) sulfide (SnS) was hybridized with α-Fe2O3 to form the heterocatalyst FeOSnS with a p-n heterojunction structure as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. PdOx and PdOx /MnOx cocatalysts were loaded onto the FeOSnS heterocatalyst through the impregnation method, as verified by high-resolution transform electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and elemental mapping. Photocatalytic ethanol photoreforming resulted in the production of H2 as the main product with a selectivity of 99% and some trace amounts of CH4. The FeOSnS2-PdOx 2%/MnOx 1% photocatalyst achieved the highest HE rate of 1654 μmol/g, attributed to the synergistic redox contribution of the PdOx and MnOx species.