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Aerobic Conditions Enhance the Photocatalytic Stability of CdS/CdO x Quantum Dots
Author(s) -
Wakerley David W.,
Ly Khoa H.,
Kornienko Nikolay,
Orchard Katherine L.,
Kuehnel Moritz F.,
Reisner Erwin
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201802353
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , catalysis , quantum dot , degradation (telecommunications) , chemistry , redox , renewable energy , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , materials science , photochemistry , inorganic chemistry , computer science , organic chemistry , telecommunications , engineering , electrical engineering
Photocatalytic H 2 production through water splitting represents an attractive route to generate a renewable fuel. These systems are typically limited to anaerobic conditions due to the inhibiting effects of O 2 . Here, we report that sacrificial H 2 evolution with CdS quantum dots does not necessarily suffer from O 2 inhibition and can even be stabilised under aerobic conditions. The introduction of O 2 prevents a key inactivation pathway of CdS (over‐accumulation of metallic Cd and particle agglomeration) and thereby affords particles with higher stability. These findings represent a possibility to exploit the O 2 reduction reaction to inhibit deactivation, rather than catalysis, offering a strategy to stabilise photocatalysts that suffer from similar degradation reactions.