Photocatalytic reactions of nanocomposite of ZnS nanoparticles and montmorillonite

ZnS nanoparticles stabilized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were deposited on montmorillonite (MMT) forming a ZnS–CTA–MMT nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and UV diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) spectrometry, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and specific surface area measurements. Thereafter, it was used for photocatalytic reactions under UV irradiation (Hg lamp) in three different reaction media with different pH: NaOH solution, HCl solution and water. Prior to the photocatalytic reactions the dispersions were saturated by carbon dioxide to buffer the systems. The main reaction products in gas phase determined by gas chromatography were hydrogen and methane. The reactions were monitored by measuring oxidation–reduction potentials. The highest yields of hydrogen were obtained in the dispersion acidified by HCl but the concentrations of methane were similar in all tested media. Hydrogen was supposed to be formed by the reaction of two hydrogen radicals. Methane was formed by the reduction of carbon dioxide and by the partial decomposition of CTAB.