Interface-induced charge transfer pathway switching of a Cu2O-TiO2 photocatalyst from p-n to S-scheme heterojunction for effective photocatalytic H2 evolution

• Published in: Journal of materials science & technology 2024-09, Vol.193, p.98-106
• Main Authors: Huang, Kaihui, Liang, Guijie, Sun, Shaolong, Hu, Haobin, Peng, Xiaoming, Shen, Rongchen, Li, Xin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Charge separation mechanism; Cu2O; Nitrogen doped carbon; Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution; S-scheme heterojunction
• ISSN: 1005-0302
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.01.034

•The interface induced charge transfer pathway switching was achieved.•The Cu2O-based S-scheme heterojunction was identified by Kelvin probe and in-situ XPS analysis.•The excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was achieved.•The improved charge separation and hydrogen-evolution kinetics were confirmed. Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting is an appealing method for producing clean chemical fuels. Cu2O, with a suitable bandgap, holds promise as a semiconductor for this process. However, the strong photo-corrosion and rapid charge recombination of Cu2O strongly limit its application in the photocatalytic fields. Herein, an S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst composed of TiO2 and Cu2O was rationally designed to effectively avoid the photo-corrosion of Cu2O. The introduction of an interfacial nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) layer switches the heterojunction interfacial charge transfer pathway from the p-n to S-scheme heterojunction, which avoids excessive accumulation of photogenerated holes on the surface of Cu2O. Meanwhile, the hybrid structure shows a broad spectral response (300–800 nm) and efficient charge separation and transfer efficiency. Interestingly, the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of TiO2-NC-3%Cu2O-3%Ni is 13521.9 μmol g−1 h−1, which is approximately 664.1 times higher than that of pure Cu2O. In-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe confirm the charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction. The formation of S-scheme heterojunctions effectively accelerates the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhances redox capacity, thereby improving the photocatalytic performance and stability of Cu2O. This study provides valuable insights into the rational design of highly efficient Cu2O-based heterojunction photocatalysts for hydrogen production. [Display omitted]