Journal
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
Volume 23, Issue 39, Pages 22743-22749Publisher
ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02356j
Keywords
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Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [51888103, 51876173]
- Fok Ying-Tung Education Foundation [171048]
- Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province [BK20190054]
- China Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
- Shaanxi Technical Innovation Guidance Project [2018HJCG-14]
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This study reports a series of heterojunctions made of Ta3N5 and TiO2 nanoparticles with good properties for photocatalytic hydrogen production. The heterojunction, particularly active under full-spectrum irradiation, shows a synergy effect upon simultaneous UV-light excitation and visible-light excitation, leading to a much higher photocatalytic activity.
We report the preparation of a series of heterojunctions made of Ta3N5 and TiO2 nanoparticles that show good properties for photocatalytic hydrogen production. The composite photocatalyst with a light-response range up to 620 nm shows a hydrogen evolution rate of 250 mu mol h(-1). The apparent quantum efficiency at 330 nm can be as high as 46%. Particularly, normalized spectral studies indicate that the heterojunction is more active upon full-spectrum (without using optical filters) irradiation, and its activity is even superior to the total activity exhibited upon UV-light irradiation (lambda <= 420 nm) and visible-infrared light irradiation (lambda >= 420 nm). Moreover, in situ photodeposition of platinum nanoparticles on the surface of the photocatalyst as well as the band alignment analysis demonstrate the Z-scheme mechanism associated with the photocatalytic process. Specifically, photogenerated electrons from TiO2 will rapidly combine with the photogenerated holes from Ta3N5 through interfacial charge transfer, leaving the more active electrons and holes in Ta3N5 and TiO2, respectively, to facilitate redox reactions. Basically, TiO2 is only UV-light active, while Ta3N5 can be activated under visible-light irradiation. In this case, a synergy effect, upon simultaneous UV-light excitation and visible-light excitation, can be achieved by full-spectrum irradiation, leading to a much higher photocatalytic activity. This work thus provides a favorable and upward direction for the establishment of heterojunctions for high-efficiency hydrogen production and solar energy applications.
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