Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of CdS-intercalated metal oxides

Photocatalytic properties for hydrogen production were investigated on laye red titanium compounds intercalating CdS in the interlayer, which were prep ared by direct cation exchange reactions and sulfurization processes. The p hotocatalytic activity of the compounds intercalating CdS was superior to t hose of simple CdS and the physical mixture of CdS and metal oxides. The im provement might be attributed to the formation of microheterjunctions betwe en the CdS nanoparticles and the layers of oxides. The activity was also en hanced by the substitution of Nb for partial Ti in K2Ti4O9, which led to th e increase in CdS content in the interlayer and the rapid transport of phot ogenerated electrons through the layer of metal oxide. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.