Optimized hot electron injection from Cu nanoparticles to S-doped C 3 N 4 by the formed S-Cu bonds for an enhanced photocatalytic performance

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP 2022-03, Vol.24 (12), p.7521-7530
• Main Authors: Gai, Qixiao, Ren, Shoutian, Zheng, Xiaochun, Liu, Wenjun, Dong, Quanli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05743j

Low-cost and high-abundance Cu nanostructures are potential near-infrared (NIR) surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) photosensitizers for carbon nitride (C N ) photocatalysts, but their low activity and stability need to be improved. In this article, doping S into C N (S-C N ) creates anchoring sites for photo-deposited Cu nanoparticles (NPs), and the spontaneous construction of S-Cu bonds is realized between S-C N and Cu NPs. The optimal hydrogen evolution rate of 1.64 mmol g h is obtained for S-C N -Cu, which is 5.5, 4.6 and 1.7 times that of pure C N , S-C N and S-C N -Cu, respectively. With further loading of a Pt co-catalyst to confirm the role of Cu NPs and improve the photocatalytic activity of the SCN-Cu, the photocatalytic rate can reach up to 14.34 mmol g h . Due to the NIR SPR effect of Cu NPs, the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of S-C N -Cu at 600 and 765 nm is 2.02% and 0.47%, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of S-C N -Cu compared with C N -Cu is mainly due to the introduced S-Cu bonds that improve the injection rate of hot electrons. This solution provides a simple and efficient interface optimization strategy for the construction of efficient NIR-driven photocatalysts.