Photocatalysis
Luis Garibay (Chemistry and Biochemistry)
Photocatalysis using CdSe quantum dots
In this project, we synthesized water soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) that photocatalyzed the reduction of reazurin to resorufin. Absorption spectra of the CdSe QDs in water solution is the same as in the toluene suspended QDs solution. The retention of optoelectric properties implies tht the QDs retain their chemical properties upon water solubilization. Absorption spectra also showed photoreduction of resazurin to resorufin after a period of light exposure only in the presence of quantum dots. These preliminary results suggest that CdSe quantum dots could be viable photocatalyst for productoion of hydrogen gas through the wate splitting reaction.