Highly efficient visible-light driven photocatalytic hydrogen production over (MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2 photocatalyst

A new composite, (MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2, as photocatalytic material was assembled by depositing conduction band co-catalyst (MoSe2-RGO) and valence band co-catalyst (RuO2) on ZnS nanocatalyst and adding a visible-ultraviolet up-conversion luminescence agent (Er3+:Y3Al5O12). The visible-light photocatalytic activity was evaluated via photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in Na2S and Na2SO3 aqueous solution under 300 W xenon lamp irradiation. The results show that the prepared (MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2 photocatalyst exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production activity under visible-light irradiation. [Display omitted] •MoSe2-RGO and RuO2 as co-catalysts are used to enhance ZnS photocatalytic activity.•Er:YAG provides UV light to satisfy the demand of ZnS for effective H2 evolution.•Improved ZnS can effectively perform visible light photocatalytic H2 production.•(MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2 shows excellent recyclability for four cycles. The use of co-catalysts can observably enhance photocatalytic hydrogen production activity. In this work, a novel visible-light driven photocatalyst, (MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2 nanocomposite, is prepared for the first time by loading Er3+:Y3Al5O12, MoSe2-RGO and RuO2 on the surface of ZnS nanoparticles. Er3+:Y3Al5O12 as an effective visible-to-ultraviolet up-conversion luminescence agent can provide the ultraviolet-light to activate wide band-gap ZnS. MoSe2-RGO and RuO2, acting as conduction band co-catalyst and valence band co-catalyst, respectively, can effectively separate the photo-generated carriers and supply more reactive sites. The activities of the photocatalysts were assessed via photocatalytic hydrogen production in Na2S and Na2SO3 aqueous solution under 300 W xenon lamp irradiation. In addition, the visible-light irradiation time and used times of the prepared samples as influence factors on the photocatalytic hydrogen production were also investigated. It was easily found that the prepared (MoSe2-RGO)/(Er3+:Y3Al5O12/ZnS)/RuO2 nanocomposite shows fairly high activity in photocatalytic hydrogen production, compared with single ZnS photocatalyst. It was mainly attributed to the excellent up-conversion luminescence property of Er3+:Y3Al5O12 and the efficient separation of photo-generated electrons and holes caused by MoSe2-RGO and RuO2. This research may pave an effective way for photocatalytic hydrogen production utilizing solar light.