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Design of C 3 N 4 ‐Based Hybrid Heterojunctions for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Activity
Author(s) -
Yan Fengpo,
Wu Yonghua,
Jiang Linqin,
Xue Xiaogang,
Lv Jiangquan,
Lin Lingyan,
Yu Yunlong,
Zhang Jiye,
Yang Fugui,
Qiu Yu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201903437
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , heterojunction , materials science , ohmic contact , electric field , hydrogen production , semiconductor , nanoparticle , hydrogen , schottky barrier , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , catalysis , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics , diode , engineering
Semiconductors and metals can form an Ohmic contact with an electric field pointing to the metal, or a Schottky contact with an electric field pointing to the semiconductor. If these two types of heterojunctions are constructed on a single nanoparticle, the two electric fields may cause a synergistic effect and increase the separation rate of the photogenerated electrons and holes. Metal Ni and Ag nanoparticles were successively loaded on the graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ) surface by precipitation and photoreduction in the hope of forming hybrid heterojunctions on single nanoparticles. TEM/high‐resolution TEM images showed that Ag and Ni were loaded on different locations on C 3 N 4 , which indicated that during the photoreduction reaction Ag + obtained electrons from C 3 N 4 in the reduction reaction, whereas oxidation reactions proceeded on Ni nanoparticles. Photocatalytic hydrogen production experiments showed that C 3 N 4 ‐based hybrid heterojunctions can greatly improve the photocatalytic activity of materials. The possible reason is that two heterojunctions could form a long‐range electric field similar to the p‐i‐n structure in semiconductors. Most of the photogenerated carriers were generated and then separated in this electric field, thereby increasing the separation rate of electrons and holes. This further improved the photocatalytic activity of C 3 N 4 .