Ni-Ag Nanostructure-Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Enhanced Performance of Solar-Driven Hydrogen Production from Ethanol

Solar-driven splitting of alcohol utilizing photo-catalysts is a promising route to obtain H-2 and fine chemicals. Ni nanoparticles have shown great potential for light-driven splitting of alcohol, and their size, exposed facets, and electronic properties play key roles in the performance of photocatalysts. Therefore, purposefully modifying Ni is of great importance. In this report, Ni-Ag nanostructures were fabricated in situ on graphitic carbon nitride by a sequential photodeposition method. The solar-driven hydrogen production from ethanol was dramatically enhanced on the Ni-Ag nanostructure-modified graphitic carbon nitride compared with pure Ni nanoparticle-modified graphitic carbon nitride. It was found that the beneficial role of Ag is to disperse and stabilize small Ni nanoparticles and, importantly, expose catalytic sites that are less prone to accumulate ethanol decomposition products (acetate species), as proven by in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy.