Design of Cu-Cu2O/g-C3N4 nanocomponent photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation using water-soluble Erythrosin B dye sensitization

Cu-Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) decorated porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (Cu-Cu2O/g-C3N4) photocatalysts were prepared. When investment of copper source materials in the experiment increased to 7 wt%, the highest H-2 evolution rate (400 mu mol g(-1) h(-1)) was obtained under visible light irradiation in triethanolamine solution. This is about triple of pure g-C3N4 (140 mu mol g(-1) h(-1)). Moreover, various amount of Erythrosin B dye was added into Cu-Cu2O/g-C3N4 photoreaction solution and a significant enhancement of H-2 production rate was achieved. The highest H-2 production rate was 5000 mu mol g(-1) h(-1) with 5 mg Erythrosin B in photoreaction system. Erythrosin B dye sensitized Cu-Cu2O/g-C3N4 presented stable photocatalytic H-2 evolution ability and no noticeable degradation or change of photocatalyst were detected after six recycles. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of Erythrosin B dye sensitized Cu-Cu2O/g-C3N4 for the enhancement of photocatalytic H-2 evolution is proposed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.