An efficient ternary photocatalyst via anchoring nickel complex and nickel oxides onto carbon nitride for visible light driven H2 evolution

Developing earth abundant, active and stable photocatalysts for water splitting is a critical but challenging procedure for efficient conversion and storage of sustainable energy. Here, a ternary photocatalyst was rationally prepared for efficient H-2 production by covalently anchoring a nickel molecule cocatalyst (NiL) onto graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CN) and introducing nickel oxides (NiOx) as hole-transport materials. The lower H-2 over potential by NiL and the faster separation of photoinduced carriers by NiOx nanoparticles account for the efficient H-2 generation of CN without the help of noble metals. Eventually, the prepared NiL/NiOx/CN catalyst exhibited excellent performance for H-2 evolution (289 mu mol g(-1) h(-1)) in TEOA solution under visible light irradiation, which is superior to 3NiL/CN (161 mu mol g(-1) h(-1)) and CN (Null). Furthermore, a possible mechanism of photocatalytic H-2 production for NiL/NiOx/CN is proposed based on a series of electrochemical measurements. The noble-metal-free photocatalyst developed in this work will pave a new way to synthesize low-cost multicomponent photocatalysts for solar conversion. (c) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study developed a ternary photocatalyst for efficient H-2 production by covalently anchoring a nickel molecule cocatalyst onto graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets and introducing nickel oxides as hole-transport materials. The prepared catalyst exhibited excellent performance for H-2 evolution, paving a new way for solar conversion by synthesizing low-cost multicomponent photocatalysts without noble metals.