A co-precipitation method was employed to prepare the CNT blended CdZnS/Fe2O3 photocatalyst. Using the powder photocatalyst, the thin film of CNT blended CdZnS/Fe2O3 photocatalyst over a glass substrate was prepared using the drop-casting method. The obtained thin film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), photoluminescence (PL), and hydrogen production activity studies in order to obtain information on their structural, morphology, chemical composition, optical and hydrogen production efficiency. The hydrogen production activity of catalyst or effective conversion of H2S into hydrogen (H2) and sulfur (S) using thin-film photocatalyst was evaluated using a simulated sulfide solution. The results showed that 1 mg of CNT blended CdZnS/Fe2O3 catalyst coated as thin film over glass substrate (4.69 cm2) showed the highest hydrogen production value of 3180 μmol h−1g−1; compared to that of 1 mg CNT blended CdZnS/Fe2O3 powder of 2510 μmol h−1g−1. From the above results, it is concluded that the thin film form of photocatlyst produced more hydrogen than the powder form. This is attributed to the effective charge separation and increased specific surface area in thin film photocatalyst.

Foreign