Photoelectrocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene on Bi-doped CuGaS2 films

Abstract: Nitrobenzene, a toxic nitroaromatic, a feedstock compound to the production of many commercially relevant chemicals were photoelectrocatalytically reduced into aniline on a photoelectrode comprised by a bismuth-doped CuGaS2 nanocrystallyne thin films on molybdenum. The activity of the photoelectrodes were compared to the reaction performed on undoped-CuGaS2 films, and they were carried out under illumination with an applied bias potential at 0.9 V. Aniline was highly selectively obtained with 83% of conversion for reaction times of 100 min when using Bi-doped CuGaS2, representing higher conversion of nitrobenzene and yield to aniline than the undoped photoelectrode. The catalytic performance of the doped films remained stable for a set of 5 consecutive experiments. These results indicate Bi-doped CuGaS2 as a promising material to be applied in the photoelectrocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene into aniline through the direct pathway mechanism, using solar light illumination. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author(s): Andrade, MAS; Mascaro, LH

CHEMOSPHERE

Volume: 212 Pages: 79-86 Published: DEC 2018

PDF: Photoelectrocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene on Bi-doped CuGaS2 films

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.08.071