Structural, textural and photocatalytic properties of quantum-sized In₂S₃-sensitized Ti-MCM-41 prepared by ion-exchange and sulfidation methods

In₂S₃ nanocrystallites were successfully encapsulated into the mesopores of Ti-MCM-41 by a two-step method involving ion-exchange and sulfidation. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, UV-vis absorption spectra (UV-Vis), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms were used to characterize the structure of the composite materials. It is found that the diameter of most In₂S₃ nanocrystallites is about 2.5 nm, less than the pore size of Ti-MCM-41. The In₂S₃ nanocrystallites inside the Ti-MCM-41 host show a significant blue-shift in the UV-vis absorption spectra. Under irradiation of visible light (λ > 430 nm), the composite material has much higher photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution than bulk In₂S₃. It can be explained by the effective charge-separation in the quantum-sized In₂S₃-sensitized Ti-MCM-41.