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Silver Quantum Cluster (Ag 9 )‐Grafted Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation and Dye Degradation
Author(s) -
Sridharan Kishore,
Jang Eunyong,
Park Jung Hyun,
Kim JongHo,
Lee JungHo,
Park Tae Joo
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201500163
Subject(s) - graphitic carbon nitride , photocatalysis , degradation (telecommunications) , materials science , carbon nitride , hydrogen , nitride , quantum dot , hydrogen production , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , photochemistry , chemistry , catalysis , composite material , computer science , composite number , layer (electronics) , organic chemistry , telecommunications , biochemistry , engineering
We report the visible‐light photocatalytic properties of a composite system consisting of silver quantum clusters [Ag 9 (H 2 MSA) 7 ] (H 2 MSA=mercaptosuccinic acid) embedded on graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (AgQCs‐GCN). The composites were prepared through a simple chemical route; their structural, chemical, morphological, and optical properties were characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Embedment of [Ag 9 (H 2 MSA) 7 ] on graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (GCN) resulted in extended visible‐light absorption through multiple single‐electron transitions in Ag quantum clusters and an effective electronic structure for hydroxyl radical generation, which enabled increased activity in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange dye molecules compared with pristine GCN and silver nanoparticle‐grafted GCN (AgNPs‐GCN). Similarly, the amount of hydrogen generated by using AgQCs‐GCN was 1.7 times higher than pristine GCN. However, the rate of hydrogen generated using AgQCs‐GCN was slightly less than that of AgNPs‐GCN because of surface hydroxyl radical formation. The plausible photocatalytic processes are discussed in detail.