One-step construction of FeOx modified g-C3N4 for largely enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Incorporation of FeOx in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) usually resulted in limited improvements in the photocatalytic activity due to the possible reactions between iron and g-C3N4 during synthesis. Herein, using ferrocene and urea as the precursors of FeOx and graphitic carbon nitride, respectively, a new kind of FeOx modified g-C3N4 photocatalysts has been prepared by a facile one-step calcination procedure. We here, for the first time, report the much-enhanced efficacy of FeOx modified g-C3N4 in the visible light-driven photocatalytic H-2 production. The peak H-2 production rate of 108 mmol h(-1) has been obtained at optimized loading amount of FeOx in the composites, which is about 4.2 times of that on the pure g-C3N4 obtained from urea. This remarkable improvement can be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorbance, improved surface area and charge carrier separation and transfer ability. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.