Journal
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
Volume 49, Issue 3, Pages 5269-5278Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.10.045
Keywords
H2 generation; Charge carrier separation
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In this study, a rGO/NiFe2O4-g-C3N4 (RNC-3) hybrid heterostructure photocatalyst was fabricated for efficient charge carrier transfer and high solar fuel (H2) generation. The optimized co-catalysts loadings were determined to be 15 wt% NiFe2O4 and 3 wt% rGO. The results showed that RNC-3 exhibited an improved photocatalytic performance with H2 generation activity of 11,817 mu molg-1h-1, approximately 4 and 76 times higher than NiFe2O4-g-C3N4 and g-C3N4 nanosheets, respectively. Additionally, RNC-3 demonstrated convenient magnetic recovery, practical reusability, and high activity, making it a potential visible-light responsive photocatalyst for efficient water-splitting applications.
Graphitic-C3N4 is the prime photocatalyst for solar energy conversion applications owing to its inexpensive, non-toxic, low gap energy, chemical and thermal stability. Herein, a rGO/NiFe2O4-g-C3N4 (RNC-3) hybrid hetero-structure photocatalyst was fabricated to realize the effective charge carrier transfer and efficient solar fuel (H2) generation. The photocatalytic H2 generation activity was evaluated under solar light irradiation in the presence of triethanolamine (TEOA) as a hole scavenger. The optimized co-catalysts loadings are 15 wt% and 3 wt% for NiFe2O4 and rGO, respectively. The results obtained show that RNC-3 hybrid heterostructure is an efficient and stable photocatalyst towards water-splitting and presented H2 generation activity of 11,817 mu molg-1h-1, approximately-4 and 76 times higher than NiFe2O4-g-C3N4 and g-C3N4 nanosheets, respectively. Notably, the solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency of 2.44% was achieved, prominently surpassing many reported g-C3N4-based materials. This outstanding performance can be related to the substantial band gap reduction from 2.75 to 2.48 eV and significant PL quenching was observed after the incorporation of NiFe2O4 and rGO, which dramatically improved charge carrier separation and transfer, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic perfor-mance. Furthermore, RNC-3 exhibits convenient magnetic recovery, practical reusability, and high activity, making it a potential visible-light responsive photocatalyst for efficient water-splitting applications.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available