Semi-chemical interaction between graphitic carbon nitride and Pt for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

• Published in: Chinese chemical letters 2022-06, Vol.33 (6), p.3061-3064
• Main Authors: Zhong, Ziai, Chen, Lisha, Zhang, Longshuai, Wu, Feiyao, Jiang, Xunheng, Liu, Haiyan, Lv, Fengrong, Xie, Haiyang, Meng, Fanqi, Zheng, Lingling, Zou, Jianping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Co-catalyst; Graphitic carbon nitride; H2 evolution; Photocatalysis; Semi-chemical interaction
• ISSN: 1001-8417; 1878-5964
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2021.09.057

Owing to the exorbitant overpotential and serious carrier recombination of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), noble metal (NM) is usually served as the H2 evolution co-catalyst. Although the NM (such as Pt) nanoparticles can reduce the H2 evolution overpotential, the weak van der Waals interaction between Pt and g-C3N4 makes against the charge transfer. Herein, the solvothermal method is developed to achieve semi-chemical interaction between Pt and g-C3N4 nanotube (Pt-CNNT) for fast charge transfer. Moreover, the generated in-plane homojunction of CNNT can accelerate charge separation and restrain recombination. Meanwhile, the metallic Pt is an excellent H2 evolution co-catalyst. Photo/electrochemical tests verify that the semi-chemical interaction can improve photogenerated charge separation and transferability of CNNT. As a result, the photocatalytic H2 evolution turnover frequency (TOF) of Pt-CNNT under visible light irradiation reaches up to 918 h−1, which is one of the highest in the g-C3N4-based photocatalysts. This work provides a new idea to improve the charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution. [Display omitted] The semi-chemical interaction between Pt and g-C3N4 nanotube provides the transfer channels of photogenerated electrons for improving the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.