Role of the Sulphur Source in the Solvothermal Synthesis of Ag-CdS Photocatalysts: Effects on the Structure and Photoactivity for Hydrogen Production

The aim of this work is to study the influence of the sulphur source (elemental sulphur, thiourea and L-cysteine) in the solvothermal synthesis of Ag-CdS over its growth, structuration and state of Ag and how these changes influence on its photoactivity. The differences in the generation rate of the S2− from the sulphur sources during the solvothermal synthesis determine the nucleation and growth pathways of CdS affecting to the silver state and its incorporation into the CdS lattice. The hydrogen production on Ag-CdS photocatalysts decreases according the sequence: thiourea > elemental sulphur >> L-cysteine. The changes in the photoactivity of Ag-CdS samples are analysed in terms of the differences in the insertion of Ag+ into the CdS lattice, the formation of composites between CdS and Ag2S and the formation of CdS crystalline domains with strong confinement effect derived from the different sulphur source used in the solvothermal synthesis.