Preparation of Cu-doped ZnS QDs/TiO2nanocomposites with highphotocatalytic activity

Labiadh Houcine (1) , Chabane Tahar Ben (2) , Lavinia Balan (3) , Nidhal Becheikh (4) , Serge Corbel , Ghouti Medjahdi (5) , Raphaël Schneider (4)

1 Unité de Recherche UR11ES30 de Synthèse et Structures de Nanomatériaux
2 Unité de Recherche UR11ES30 de Synthèse et Structures de Nanomatériaux
3 IS2M - Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse
4 LRGP - Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés
5 IJL - Institut Jean Lamour

Cu-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous solution using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as stabilizer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicate that the Cu:ZnS nanocrystals distribute uniformly and the size is ca. 2.9 ± 0.5 nm. These nanocrystals were successfully associated to anatase TiO2 nanoparticles to yield TiO2/Cu:ZnS photocatalysts. Morphological and optical properties of TiO2/Cu:ZnS nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, TEM, and UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. Photocatalytic activities of TiO2/Cu:ZnS nanocomposites were evaluated by the oxidation of salicylic acid aqueous solutions under UV light irradiation. Enhanced performances compared either to pure TiO2 nanoparticles or to undoped TiO2/ZnS nanocomposites were observed. Effects of the mass ratio of the TiO2and Cu:ZnS and of the pH of the aqueous solution containing salicylic acid on the photocatalytic activities of TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized with Cu:ZnS QDs were also investigated.

Mots clés: Cu-doped zinc sulfide; Quantum dots; Titanium dioxide; Oxidation; Photocatalysis

Domaines: Matériaux

Labiadh Houcine, Chabane Tahar Ben, Lavinia Balan, Nidhal Becheikh, Serge Corbel, et al.. Preparation of Cu-doped ZnS QDs/TiO2nanocomposites with highphotocatalytic activity. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2013, 144, pp.29-35. ⟨10.1016/j.apcatb.2013.07.004⟩. ⟨hal-00848163⟩