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Boosting Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with an Integrated Nickel Phosphide–Carbon Nitride System
Author(s) -
Indra Arindam,
Acharjya Amitava,
Menezes Prashanth W.,
Merschjann Christoph,
Hollmann Dirk,
Schwarze Michael,
Aktas Mesut,
Friedrich Aleksej,
Lochbrunner Stefan,
Thomas Arne,
Driess Matthias
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201611605
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , phosphide , materials science , carbon nitride , graphitic carbon nitride , visible spectrum , photoluminescence , catalysis , electron paramagnetic resonance , nickel , hydrogen production , photochemistry , mesoporous material , chemical engineering , chemistry , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering , physics , nuclear magnetic resonance
Abstract Solar light harvesting by photocatalytic H 2 evolution from water could solve the problem of greenhouse gas emission from fossil fuels with alternative clean energy. However, the development of more efficient and robust catalytic systems remains a great challenge for the technological use on a large scale. Here we report the synthesis of a sol–gel prepared mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (sg‐CN) combined with nickel phosphide (Ni 2 P) which acts as a superior co‐catalyst for efficient photocatalytic H 2 evolution by visible light. This integrated system shows a much higher catalytic activity than the physical mixture of Ni 2 P and sg‐CN or metallic nickel on sg‐CN under similar conditions. Time‐resolved photoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies revealed that the enhanced carrier transfer at the Ni 2 P–sg‐CN heterojunction is the prime source for improved activity.