A new catalyst of AlCu@ZnO for hydrogen evolution reaction

Thin films of undoped ZnO, Al-doped ZnO, Cu-doped ZnO, and AlCu@ZnO deposited on indium tin oxide were performed by the sol-gel spin coating method. The prepared ZnO thin films were investigated for their structural and electrical properties after annealing at 500 °C for 1 h. ZnO thin films were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Mott Schottky. According to the results obtained from the Nyquist diagrams of the ZnO thin films, the resistance value was found to decrease with binary doping and the resistance value was found to be lowest in AlCu@ZnO doped thin film containing 0.01 M Al and 0.1 M Cu. As ZnO thin films go to cathodic potentials, it is seen that the cathodic current value of ZnO with undoped is the lowest. It has been found that only Al and Cu doping showed less cathodic current than double doping.     

Ce掺杂TiO2光催化剂的制备及降解偶氮废水的研究

采用溶胶—凝胶法制备Ce掺杂TiO2光催化剂,借助XRD、HRTEM对其进行表征,分析了Ce含量、煅烧温度等因素对光催化降解偶氮废水活性的影响。结果表明,铈掺杂在提高了TiO2光催化剂催化活性的同时也抑制了相转变。当Ce的掺杂量为3%时,对偶氮废水的处理率可高达92.3%。     

Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes with Er:YAlO3/ZnO composite under solar light

The Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite, a new photocatalyst that could effectively utilize visible light, was prepared by ultrasonic dispersion and liquids boiling method in this work. In succession, the Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite, Er³⁺:YAlO₃ particle and pure ZnO powder were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Acid Red B dye as a model compound was degraded under solar light irradiation to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite. In addition, the effects of Er³⁺:YAlO₃ content, heat-treated temperature and heat-treated time on photocatalytic activity of Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite were reviewed through the degradation of Acid Red B dye under solar light. Otherwise, the effects of initial concentration, Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO amount, solution acidity and solar light irradiation time on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red B dye were investigated in detail. It was found that the photocatalytic activity of Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite is much higher than that of pure ZnO powder for the similar system. Perhaps, the use of this Er³⁺:YAlO₃/ZnO composite may provide a new way to take advantage of ZnO in sewage treatment aspects using solar energy.     

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO–Ce nanophotocatalyst and their application for the removal of dye (Reactive red 198) by degradation process: Kinetics,thermodynamics and experimental design

In this study, Ce-doped ZnO, an effective photocatalyst, was synthesized via combustion method using different weight percentages (wt.%) of Cerium. The synthesized photocatalyst was used to remove reactive red 198 from the aqueous solution. In the present work, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated by doping different weight percentages of Cerium (0.4 w% and 0.2w%). The photocatalyst was then characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, DRS, TOC and, EDX analyses. According to the results, 0.2 w% Cerium doped ZnO showed better performance than 0.4 w% Cerium doped ZnO. In addition, the central composite design was used to evaluate the influential variables on the elimination of dye from an aqueous solution. The optimal values of effective factors such as photocatalyst dose, pH and initial dye concentration while 0.4 w% Ce:ZnO was used as photocatalyst were obtained 0.12 g.L^?1, 6.5 and, 3.18 g.L^?1 respectively. While these factors were obtained for 0.2 w% Ce:ZnO photocatalyst 0.16 g.L^?1, 6.5 and 3.18 g.L^?1, respectively. Moreover, the kinetic aspects of the elimination of reactive red 198 from an aqueous solution were investigated using the pseudo-first-order model. Since to study the process efficiency, it is necessary to find the optimal parameters and flow regime inside the reactor, so the hydrodynamics of the reactor were analyzed through the residence time distribution. Also, from the value obtained for the Reynolds number, it can be concluded that the internal flow of the reactor was laminar. Additionally, from the thermodynamic study of the Reactive red 198 degradation process using 0.2 w% Ce:ZnO and 0.4 w% Ce:ZnO photocatalysts, the adiabatic temperature of 678.54 and 474.19 °C were calculated, respectively. By increasing the temperature of the degradation process up to 40 °C, the dye removal efficiency for 0.2 w% Ce-doped ZnO and 0.4 w% Ce-doped ZnO photocatalysts reached to 96% and 58%, respectively.     

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on anatase TiO2 hollow spheres/carbon nanotube composite films

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on anatase TiO₂ hollow spheres (TiO2HS)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) nanocomposite films are prepared by a directly mechanical mixing and doctor blade method. The prepared samples are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms. The photoelectric conversion performances of the DSSCs based on TiO2HS/CNT composite film electrodes are also compared with commercial-grade Degussa P25 TiO₂ nanoparticles (P25)/CNT composite solar cells at the same film thickness. The results indicate that the photoelectric conversion efficiencies (η) of the TiO2HS/CNT composite DSSCs are dependent on CNT loading in the electrodes. A small amount of CNT clearly enhances DSSC efficiency, while excessive CNT loading significantly lowers their performance. The former is because CNT enhance the transport of electrons from the films to FTO substrates. The latter is due to high CNT loading shielding the visible light from being adsorbed by dyes.     

Fe_2O_3/SiO_2/TiO_2复合薄膜的制备与表征

采用溶胶.凝胶法制备了Fe2O3/SiO2/TiO2三元复合薄膜.通过XRD表征、紫外.可见透射光谱分析,考察了Fe2 O3/SiO2对TiO2晶型、亲水性、光催化性能的影响.结果表明:加入Fe2O3、SiO2后TiO2仍然保持完整的锐钛型,抑制了TiO2晶粒的增长,且加入Fe2O3后TiO2的吸收波长发生了"红移".Fe2O3/SiO2/TiO2光催化性能、亲水性能优于SiO2/TiO2、Fe2O3/TiO2及单-TiO2膜.     

Fabrication of CuO/MoO3 p-n heterojunction for enhanced dyes degradation and hydrogen production from water splitting

The development of excellent photocatalytic material is highly required for energy and environmental applications. In this study, visible light responsive p-n heterojunction photocatalysts based on CuO/MoO₃ with varying ratios of CuO were prepared by the facile hydrothermal method. The crystalline structure, surface morphology, chemical compositions and optical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts were studied using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), photoluminescence (PL) techniques and UV–Vi's absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the 5%CuO/MoO₃ nanocomposite displayed enhanced photocatalytic performance for the production of hydrogen (98.5 μmol h^?1g^?1) and degradation of dyes rhodamine B (RhB) and alizarine yellow (AY) than all other samples. Furthermore, 5% CuO/MoO₃ composite exhibited excellent stability after five consecutive cycles for both RhB and AY dyes. Overall, the improved photocatalytic performance of 5%CuO/MoO₃ composite was due to increased adsorption of visible light, good surface morphology, enhanced charge separation/transfer which inhibited recombination of electrons and holes. This study could encourage the synthesis of novel and effective p-n heterojunction photocatalysts for practical applications.     

红外灯辅助喷雾热解法制备可控锑掺杂氧化锡透明热反射薄膜

本文以乙二醇为溶剂及配位剂,以冰乙酸为酸性催化剂,采用溶胶−凝胶法制备均一稳定的具有不同锑掺杂浓度的二氧化锡（SnO2）溶胶,再通过红外灯辅助喷雾热解法制备性能优异的可控锑掺杂SnO2薄膜,并对薄膜微结构、光电性能进行表征。结果表明：薄膜以四方金红石结构存在,结晶完全;方阻值随锑掺杂浓度和成膜厚度的增加而降低;薄膜在可见光区的平均透过率可达79%左右,且在中远红外光区的平均反射率可达80%左右。此外,通过改变锑掺杂浓度和成膜厚度,能够有效地调节薄膜的红外反射率与反射起点波长,从而满足不同气候条件对热反射和热发射的不同要求。     

The structure and photocatalytic studies of N-doped TiO2 films prepared by radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering

N-doped TiO₂ films were prepared by a radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) deposition method from an undoped TiO₂ target in a mixture of Ar/N₂ atmosphere on heated quartz glass substrates. The structures and properties of the N-doped were studied by XRD, Raman, XPS, TEM, ultraviolet (UV)-vis and PL spectroscopy. By analyzing the structures and photocatalytic activities of undoped and N-doped TiO₂ films under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation, the probable photocatalytic mechanism of N-doped TiO₂ films was investigated. Because many oxygen defects are caused in films by nitrogen doping, it is presumed that nitrogen doping and oxygen defect induced the formation of new states closed to the valence band and conduction band, respectively. The cooperation of nitrogen and oxygen defects leads to a significant narrowing of the band gap and greatly improves the absorption in the visible light region. It is found that the degradation efficiencies of N-doped TiO₂ films greatly decreased under ultraviolet irradiation, but slowly improved under visible light irradiation, compared with the undoped TiO₂ film. It is suggested that the N-doped TiO₂ films are formed for the nitrogen to occupy oxygen defect sites directly. The doped nitrogen ions and oxygen defects act as recombination centers that reduce the lifetime of photo-induced electrons and holes, thereby resulting in the decrease of photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet light illumination.     

The fabrication of magnetic recyclable nitrogen modified titanium dioxide/strontium ferrite/diatomite heterojunction nanocomposite for enhanced visible-light-driven photodegradation of tetracycline

Powdery photocatalyst has long been studied in various aspects, yet its low recovery in suspension system is still the bottleneck which hinders its practical application. An alternative method to overcome this shortcoming is to develop magnetic recyclable ferrite-based hybrid photocatalyst. In this work, we prepared nitrogen modified titania/strontium ferrite/diatomite (N-TSD) ternary hybrid via sol-gel method. The physicochemical properties of various hybrid catalysts were characterized and studied, and their photocatalytic properties were evaluated via the degradation of antibiotic tetracycline (TC) under visible light. The formation of heterojunction between N modified TiO₂ and strontium ferrite hindered the recombination of photo-induced charge carriers and improved the photocatalytic activity. The photodegradation rate of TC was accelerated by the high adsorption ability of diatomite, due to the adsorption and degradation synergistic effect between catalysts and substrate diatomite. Based on the degradation results, the optimal N dopant amount, as well as optimal catalyst dosage was determined. The ternary N-TSD composite could simply be recovered from TC solution via an external magnet, and the repetition tests indicated no obvious decrease of photoactivity, even after 5 turns. This nanocomposite was considered appropriate to be applied in wastewater remediation process, thanks to its high photocatalytic efficiency under visible light irradiation, as well as its good reusability and stability.     

Boosted hydrogen evolution activity from Sr doped ZnO/CNTs nanocomposite as visible light driven photocatalyst

CNTs were decorated onto Sr doped ZnO nanoparticles to construct an efficient photocatalyst via a facile sol-gel method. The as-fabricated Sr doped ZnO/CNTs with recyclability exhibits Sr and CNTs content dependent hydrogen evolution activit under visible light illumination. The Sr doped ZnO/CNTs photocatalyst shows the highest hydrogen evolution rate of 2732.2 μmolh^?1g^?1, which is 33.7 and 2.83 times higher than pure ZnO and Sr doped ZnO photocatalysts, respectively. The improved hydrogen evolution activity of Sr doped ZnO/CNTs is primarily assigned to high surface area, Sr doping and construction of heterojunction, which can extend the light absorption, decrease the optical band gap and improve the charge separation. Moreover, the underlying photocatalytic mechanism is proposed on the basis of Mott-Schottky study and explains the interfacial charge transfer process from ZnO to CNTs and Sr. This work open new strategies to synthesize CNTs based nanocomposite for hydrogen evolution.     

Efficient hydrogen evolution with ZnO/SrTiO3 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst sensitized by Eosin Y

Developing efficient, stable, and cheap photocatalysts for H₂ production has aroused great interest among researchers. Herein, noble-metal-free ZnO/SrTiO₃ composite photocatalysts have been successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible diffusion spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy are used to characterize the obtained samples. The photocatalytic water splitting for H₂ production by ZnO/SrTiO₃ has been studied under simulated sunlight irradiation by using triethanolamine as a sacrificial agent and Eosin Y (EY) dye as a sensitizer. The orthogonal experiments are designed to optimize the photocatalytic reaction conditions for practical purposes. The influencing extents and trends of the factors have been investigated, including the catalyst composition and dosage, pH value of the solution, triethanolamine, and EY addition. Under the optimum conditions, the H₂ production rate with ZnO/SrTiO₃ is up to 16006.12 μmol g^?1 h^?1. The excellent performance of ZnO/SrTiO₃ is attributed to the formation of a step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction, which promotes the separation of photocarriers and reduces their recombination probability.     

ZnO–Bi2O3/graphene oxide photocatalyst with high photocatalytic performance under visible light

Abstract

Photocatalytic nanomaterials are attracting more and more attention because of their potential for solving environmental problems. ZnO, as one of the most promising photocatalysts, can only be excited by ultraviolet (UV) or near UV radiation. The objective of the study is to describe an efficient visible light driven ZnO based photocatalyst. In this regard, we communicate the preliminary research on the synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic properties of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/graphene oxide (GO) composite materials. It was found that the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO reached 99·62% after irradiation with visible light for 2 h. The presence of GO enhances the stability of ZnO–Bi₂O₃ and reduces the recombination of charge carriers. ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO also shows high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acid blue, acid yellow, reactive red, acid red, reactive yellow and reactive blue under visible light irradiation. The novel aspect is the combination of GO and Bi₂O₃ doped ZnO. The use of GO enhances the efficiency of photocatalysis, and Bi₂O₃ doping ZnO excites the absorption of visible light. The impact of the research concerns the study of ZnO–Bi₂O₃/GO, which can be used as a promising photocatalyst for the treatment of textile wastewater.     

Enhanced photoelectrochemical response of reduced-graphene oxide/Zn1−xAgxO nanocomposite in visible-light region

Graphene based nanocomposites have the potential to work as efficiently, multifunctional materials for energy conversion & storage. These composites may exhibit better photocatalytic properties by the improvement of their electronic and structural properties than pure photocatalysts. In the present work, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) & ZnO nanocomposite with 0–5 atom% Ag doping was prepared by electrodeposition method and characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FE-SEM, EDX, UV–Vis spectroscopy and final photoelectrochemical activity was assessed under 1.5 AM solar simulator in 1 M NaOH as electrolyte. Significant changes in the Raman spectrum for the nanocomposite suggest the possible electronic interaction between rGO and ZnO nanocomposite and its successful fabrication, which improves the charge separation and enhanced photoelectrochemical activity in the nanocomposite. We find a red-shift of 0.35 eV in the UV–vis spectrum and therefore an enhanced photoelectrochemical activity in the visible range on Ag doping in rGO/ZnO nanocomposite. Nanocomposite with 1 atom% Ag doping showed the highest photocurrent density of 2.48 mA/cm² at 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl over other samples, which was almost five times higher than that for undoped rGO/ZnO composite. Calculated Flat-band potential and donor densities using Mott–Schottky data also supported the better photoelectrochemical response for Ag doping in nanocomposite.     

The role of synthesis method in hydrogen evolution activity of Ce doped ZnO/CNTs photocatalysts: A comparative study

Cerium doped zinc oxide/carbon nanotubes (Ce doped ZnO/CNTs) composites are synthesized using sol-gel, hydrothermal deposition and one-pot hydrothermal methods. These composites are tested for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water-methanol mixture to check the effect of synthesis method on photocatalytic activity of these composites. Each synthesis method induces unique physiochemical properties in composite and hydrogen evolution rates. The composite prepared by one-pot hydrothermal method shows highest hydrogen evolution of 759 μmolh⁻¹g⁻¹ under sunlight. This hydrogen evolution rate is significantly higher than the sol-gel synthesized photocatalyst (579 μmolh⁻¹g⁻¹) and hydrothermal deposition method (621 μmolh⁻¹g⁻¹). The high hydrogen evolution activity of the prepared composites can be attributed to small crystallite size, low recombination of charge carriers, large active surface area, short diffusion pathway for photoinduced electrons and high oxidation potential of photogenerated holes. Focused on different methods, this study provides a pathway for production of efficient semiconductor photocatalysts for environmental applications.     

Highly efficient photocatalytic conversion of gas phase CO2 by TiO2 nanotube array sensitized with CdS/ZnS quantum dots under visible light

With the massive consumption of fossil fuels, energy crisis and effectively reducing CO₂ to curb global warming have become urgent and severe problems in the world. Photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ technology which can convert CO₂ into combustible compounds by using solar energy can solve both of the problems mentioned above. However, the photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ exhibits too low efficiency, especially under visible light. So, in order to improve the photocatalytic efficiency, the composite photocatalysts of TiO₂ nanotube array (TNTA) sensitized by CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were successfully prepared by anodization method and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method in this work. And the composite photocatalysts exhibited a high performance for photocatalytic conversion of gas-phase CO₂ to methanol under visible light. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to characterize the ingredients and morphologies of the synthesized photocatalysts. And, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–Vis DRS) revealed that CdS/ZnS QDs enhanced the photo-absorption of composite photocatalyst in the visible light region. The main product methanol yield of CdS/ZnS-TNTA under visible light was 2.73 times that of bare TNTA when TNTA was treated by 10 SILAR cycles. Meanwhile, the product yield first increased before decreasing with the increase of the CO₂ flow rate. And the greatest product yield reached up to 255.49 nmol/(cm²-cat·h) with the increase of light intensity. The reaction mechanism was discussed in this paper. This high performance for photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ was primarily attributed to the CdS/ZnS QDs sensitization, which widens the response wavelength range of the catalyst to include visible light and partly inhibits the recombination of electron-hole pairs.     

Opto-electrochemical characteristics of synthesized BaFe2O4 nanocomposites: Photocatalytic degradation and hydrogen generation investigation

We report on this study the optical and photo-electrochemical properties of BaFe₂O₄ (BFO) nanoparticles and their role in photocatalytic degradation of an organic pollutant and hydrogen generation. The spinel BFO was synthesized by the sol-gel route and formed at 900 °C, the phase was identified by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optical and dielectric properties of BFO were investigated by the photoluminescence (PL) and the diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS); An optical gap of 2.10 eV was found. The cyclic voltammetry of BFO has shown promising outcomes in the generation of hydrogen under visible light with a potential of (～- 0.91 V_SCE). The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also undertaken in the dark and under illumination. In order to support the results, we tested the activity of this spinel for the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B), 93% of Rh B was oxidized after 3 h with a quantum efficiency of 0.32% by the BFO/ZnO. The use of the new BFO/ZnO hetero-system by adding ZnO nanoparticles was performed to enhance the photocatalytic activity which generates radicals for the Rh B degradation and hydrogen liberation. The degradation radicals were determined by scavenger tests, both O₂^??and ^?OH were the main reactive species. Moreover, the stability of BFO/ZnO hetero-system was demonstrated for four consecutive cycles. Hence, the hetero-system was found to be an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen generation by facilitation of the photo-electron transfer with the deference potential (E_red – E_ZnO–CB = ～0.14 V_SCE); This opens up new opportunities for hydrogen production as we can say that energy supply has a high priority in our time due to its importance.     

Preparation of floatable TiO2/poly(vinyl alcohol)-alginate composite for the photodegradation of ammonia wastewater

The use of floatable photocatalyst supports is an operable strategy of increasing photocatalytic performance in terms of improving light absorption. In this work, floatable organic support based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was used to float commercial TiO₂ P25 nanoparticles. At first, by the use of CaCl₂ and boric acid at pH 3 the cross-linking of PVA blended with sodium alginate (PVA-Alg) was improved to enhance chemical and mechanical stability, and then it was chemically modified by trimethylchlorosilane to achieve floatable organic support (modified or MPVA-Alg). The prepared support and photocatalyst were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)-elemental mapping, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), thermalgravimetry, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and water contact angle (WCA) analyses and applied for the ammonia degradation under UV to visible regions. Results of WCA and FTIR confirmed that chemical modification of PVA-Alg led to lowering hydrophilicity to be floated on the ammonia wastewater. UV-vis analysis indicated that the MPVA-Alg acts as a light absorbent in UV-vis ranges and makes TiO₂/MPVA-Alg a visible light active composite. Also, the PL analysis showed that the charge recombination process was strongly suppressed in the case of the TiO₂/MPVA-Alg sample. BET theory suggested that the textural properties were not the key factor in determining photocatalytic performance. The maximum photocatalytic ammonia removal was obtained to be 63% and 57% by the TiO₂/MPVA-Alg composite under UV-vis light irradiations, respectively. The MPVA-Alg and TiO₂ exhibited the ammonia degradation of 28.5% and 15.2% under visible and 29.4% and 40.0% under UV irradiation, respectively. The TiO₂/MPVA-Alg showed favorable reuse ability after five runs due to desirable chemical and mechanical resistance. This study provides an insight into the modification of polymeric structures to be used as both floatable photocatalyst support and light sensitizer.     

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solution using ZnO with simultaneous photodeposition of Cu

The enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solution using ZnO was investigated with aid of simultaneous metal deposition. The simultaneous deposition for such metals as Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt, and Rh was evaluated for the H₂ production from aqueous methanol solution. As a result, the addition of Cu ion was effective improvement in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The photocatalytic hydrogen production using ZnO photocatalyst with aid of simultaneous deposition of Cu was approximately 130 times better than those obtained with bare ZnO. The Cu-deposited ZnO had the response to the visible light for the hydrogen formation. After the photocatalytic hydrogen production, the in-situ Cu-photodeposited ZnO sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectrometry (UV-DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy.     

Homogeneously distributed CdS nanoparticles in the sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone) membrane: preparation,characterisation and visible-light photocatalytic properties

Abstract

In this work, we have developed an ion exchange reaction to fabricate homogeneously distributed CdS nanoparticles with a size in the range of 20–120 nm in the sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membrane. The chemical composition of the composite membrane was characterised by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The as prepared SPEEK/CdS composite membrane exhibited a remarkable photocatalytic activity towards the photodegradation of rhodamine B under visible light irradiation at room temperature. This work presents a simple and versatile approach to prepare sulphide nanostructures on the surface of polymer membrane, providing a new opportunity for their applications in the photocatalytic reaction.