Self-Assembly of CdS/CdIn₂S₄ Heterostructure with Enhanced Photocascade Synthesis of Schiff Base Compounds in an Aromatic Alcohols and Nitrobenzene System with Visible Light

Abstract

A series of novel CdS/CdIn₂S₄ composite materials were prepared via a one-pot solvothermal process. The as-obtained photocatalysts were characterized by several techniques and the photocatalytic properties of CdS/CdIn₂S₄ photocatalysts were studied by photocascade synthesis of Schiff base compounds in a photocatalytic reaction system of aromatic alcohols and nitrobenzene irradiated with visible light. The results reveal that the resulting CdS/CdIn₂S₄ heterostructure samples show outstanding photocatalytic activities toward the photocascade production of Schiff base compounds in an aromatic alcohols and nitrobenzene reaction system irradiated with visible light. An optimized 50.0% CdS/CdIn₂S₄ heterostructure sample shows the highest Schiff base yield of 42.0% irradiated with visible light for 4 h, which is approximately 19.1 and 1.54 times higher than those of sole CdS and CdIn₂S₄ samples, respectively. The fabrication of heterogeneous structure improves the spatial separation and migration of photoinduced electron-hole pairs, thus contributing to the enhancement of photocatalytic properties. We foresee that this finding can offer a strategy to develop heterostructure composites for efficient synthesis of organics by photocatalysis under mild conditions.