Schottky functionalized Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst Ti2C3/g-C3N4/BiOCl: Efficient photocatalytic H2O2 production via two-channel pathway

As an emerging layered two-dimensional transition metal carbide, Ti3C2 can form a Schottky junction with Ntype semiconductors, which shows great potential in the field of photocatalysis due to its excellent metallic conductivity and spectral absorption. Herein, a Schottky-functionalized Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst Ti3C2/g-C3N4/BiOCl (TC/g-CN/BOC) are fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method. As an efficient dualchannel photocatalyst, the formation of the Schottky junction promotes the photo-reduction reaction on the conduction band, and the Z-scheme structure broadens the energy gap to realize the photo-oxidation reaction on the valence band. Under the irradiation of simulated sunlight, TC/g-CN/BOC exhibits excellent photocatalytic H2O2 production performance (1275 mu M). EIS, PL, DRS were executed to clarify the potentially photocatalytic mechanism, and the result confirmed that the establishment of the Schottky barrier effectively inhibits the recombination of photogenerated carriers, and the Z-scheme heterojunction is more conducive to the interface migration of electrons.

Automated summary

Ti3C2 can form a Schottky junction with N-type semiconductors, showing great potential in photocatalysis due to its metallic conductivity and spectral absorption. The TC/g-CN/BOC photocatalyst fabricated by a hydrothermal method exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance, with the Schottky junction promoting photo-reduction and the Z-scheme structure broadening the energy gap for photo-oxidation.