December 1 - 6, 2024
Boston, Massachusetts
Symposium Supporters
2024 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit
EN01.15 .06

2D Zinc Sulfoselenides as Photocatalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Peroxide Production with DFT Analysis

When and Where

Dec 5, 2024
8:00pm - 10:00pm
Hynes, Level 1, Hall A

Presenter(s)

Co-Author(s)

Akshay Tikoo1,Shelaka Gupta1,Praveen Meduri2

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad1,Advanced Energy Materials LLC2

Abstract

Akshay Tikoo1,Shelaka Gupta1,Praveen Meduri2

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad1,Advanced Energy Materials LLC2
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a crucial chemical in various industries due to its strong oxidizing capabilities, high energy density, and clean decomposition into oxygen and water[1]. However, the conventional anthraquinone process for producing H2O2 is energy-intensive and results in toxic by-products, spurring the search for more sustainable alternatives[2]. Among these, photocatalysis has gained attention as an eco-friendly method, leveraging sunlight and water to produce H2O2 without generating harmful by-products or requiring significant energy input[3]. Two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal chalcogenide (TMC) photocatalysts are promising candidates for such applications due to their excellent light-harvesting abilities, large surface area, and favorable optoelectronic properties[4]. In particular, transition metal sulfoselenides (MSxSe1-x) are emerging as novel materials due to their tunable properties and low charge transfer resistance, making them highly efficient for photocatalytic processes[5]. In this study, we developed and tuned zinc sulfoselenides (ZnSxSe1-x) via a facile hydrothermal process, demonstrating superior H2O2 production compared to pure ZnS and ZnSe. Specifically, ZnS0.5Se0.5 achieved the highest H2O2 production rate of 415 µM h-1, outperforming ZnS (166 µM h-1) and ZnSe (262 µM h-1). The synthesized catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These zinc sulfoselenides exhibited a homogenous morphology, enhanced charge transport, and a higher number of active sites, contributing to their improved photocatalytic performance. To further explore the reaction mechanism, radical scavenger studies were conducted alongside Mott-Schottky analysis and density functional theory (DFT) simulations. DFT calculations revealed favorable energetics for oxygen reduction to H2O2 on the distorted ZnS0.5Se0.5 (110) surface, which showed strong interactions with O2 (Eb = -170 kJ/mol) and hydrogen atoms (Eb = -56 kJ/mol). These results highlight the importance of material modification in optimizing photocatalytic performance. By combining experimental results with theoretical insights, this research advances our understanding of the mechanisms behind H2O2 production on zinc sulfoselenides and paves the way for the development of more sustainable photocatalytic technologies for industrial applications.
References:
[1] R.L. Myers, The 100 Most Important Chemical Compounds: A Reference Guide, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2007.
[2] H. Hou, X. Zeng, X. Zhang, Production of Hydrogen Peroxide by Photocatalytic Processes, Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 59 (2020) 17356–17376. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201911609.
[3] Y.C. Zhang, J. Li, M. Zhang, D.D. Dionysiou, Size-tunable hydrothermal synthesis of SnS2 nanocrystals with high performance in visible light-driven photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr(VI), Environ Sci Technol. 45 (2011) 9324–9331. https://doi.org/10.1021/es202012b.
[4] Adabala, S.; Dutta, D. P. A review on recent advances in metal chalcogenide-based photocatalysts for CO2 reduction. J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 2022, 10, 107763.
[5] J. Zhang, M. Wu, Z. Shi, M. Jiang, W. Jian, Z. Xiao, J. Li, C. Lee, J. Xu, Composition and Interface Engineering of Alloyed MoS2x Se2(1– x) Nanotubes for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity, Small. 12 (2016) 4379–4385. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201601496.

Symposium Organizers

Virgil Andrei,
Rafael Jaramillo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rajiv Prabhakar,
Ludmilla Steier, University of Oxford

Session Chairs

Virgil Andrei
Rajiv Prabhakar

In this Session