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A Floating Sheet for Efficient Photocatalytic Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Lin Zhaoyong,
Li Jiling,
Zheng Zhaoqiang,
Li Lihua,
Yu Lili,
Wang Chengxin,
Yang Guowei
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201600510
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , materials science , water splitting , photocatalytic water splitting , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , catalysis , organic chemistry , chemistry , engineering
Solar photocatalytic water splitting has been a promising way to provide clean hydrogen energy. There are two weaknesses in the typical photocatalytic process in which photocatalysts are generally dispersing in water under stir. One is the inadequate utilization of light energy and the other one is the cumbersome operation in the recycling procedure. This study demonstrates an efficient solar photocatalytic water splitting using a floating sheet with a novel WSe 2 cocatalyst. The sheet is fabricated by laser‐depositing WSe 2 film on a carbon foam (CF) substrate and drop‐casting of the synthesized nanodiamond‐embedded Cu 2 O (NEC) photocatalysts. This is a new‐type artificial photocatalytic system that overcomes the above‐mentioned weaknesses of a powder‐dispersing system. The WSe 2 cocatalyst acts as an electron sink to promote electron–hole separation, resulting in the further improvement of photocatalytic performance. This floating NEC/WSe 2 /CF structure achieves efficient water splitting upon simulated solar irradiation with an increased H 2 evolution rate, which is 13.2 times that of the powder‐dispersing system. This study offers a strategy for the design of new‐type photocatalytic system and discovery of alternative noble metal‐free cocatalysts.