Photoelectrocatalytic generation of H₂ and S from toxic H₂S by using a novel BiOI/WO₃ nanoflake array photoanode

Abstract

In this paper, a photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) recovery of toxic H₂S into H₂ and S system was proposed using a novel bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI)/ tungsten trioxide (WO₃) nano-flake arrays (NFA) photoanode. The BiOI/WO₃ NFA with a vertically aligned nanostructure were uniformly prepared on the conductive substrate via transformation of tungstate following an impregnating hydroxylation of BiI₃. Compared to pure WO₃ NFA, the BiOI/WO₃ NFA promotes a significant increase of photocurrent by 200%. Owing to the excellent stability and photoactivity of the BiOI/WO₃ NFA photoanode and I^–/{\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-} catalytic system, the PEC system toward splitting of H₂S totally converted S^2– into S without any polysulfide ({\mathrm{S}}_x^{n-}) under solar-light irradiation. Moreover, H₂ was simultaneously generated at a rate of about 0.867 mL/(h·cm). The proposed PEC H₂S splitting system provides an efficient and sustainable route to recover H₂ and S.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI)/ tungsten trioxide (WO₃) nano-flake arrays (NFA) / photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) / H₂S splitting / H₂ / S

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