Rhombohedral boron monosulfide as a metal-free photocatalyst

Keisuke Miyazaki; Akira Yamaguchi; Haruki Kusaka; Norinobu Watanabe; Aufandra Cakra Wardhana; Satoshi Ishii; Akiyasu Yamamoto; Masashi Miyakawa; Takashi Taniguchi; Takahiro Kondo; Masahiro Miyauchi

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-46769-7

Rhombohedral boron monosulfide as a metal-free photocatalyst

Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 9;13(1):19540. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-46769-7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan.
² Department of Materials Science, Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8573, Japan.
³ Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan.
⁴ Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, 183-8538, Japan.
⁵ Department of Materials Science, Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8573, Japan. [email protected].
⁶ The Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan. [email protected].
⁷ Tsukuba Research Center for Energy Materials Science, Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences and R&D Center for Zero CO2 Emission Functional Materials, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8573, Japan. [email protected].
⁸ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan. [email protected].

Abstract

Most of previous photocatalysts contain metal species, thus exploring a metal-free photocatalyst is still challenging. A metal-free photocatalyst has an advantage for the development of economical and non-toxic artificial photosynthesis system and/or environmental purification applications. In this study, rhombohedral boron monosulfide (r-BS) was synthesized by a high-pressure solid-state reaction, and its photocatalytic properties were investigated. r-BS absorbed visible light, and its photocurrent action spectrum also exhibited visible light responsivity. The r-BS evolved hydrogen (H₂) from water under ultraviolet (UV) as well as under visible light irradiation, and its internal quantum efficiency reached 1.8% under UV light irradiation. In addition to the H₂ evolution reaction, the r-BS photocatalyst drove carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction and dye oxidation reactions under UV irradiation. Although bare r-BS was not so stable under strong light irradiation in water, cocatalyst modification improved its stability. These results indicate that r-BS is a new class of non-metal photocatalyst applicable for H₂ production, CO₂ reduction, and environmental purification reactions.

Abstract

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