Constructing Pd/2D-C3N4 composites for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution through nonplasmon-induced bound electrons

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 467-468; pp. 151 - 157
• Main Authors: Mo, Zhao, Xu, Hui, She, Xiaojie, Song, Yanhua, Yan, Pengcheng, Yi, Jianjian, Zhu, Xingwang, Lei, Yucheng, Yuan, Shouqi, Li, Huaming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2019
• Subjects: 2D-C3N4; Nonplasmonic transition metals; Pd nanocubes; Photocatalytic H2 evolution; Photocatalytic H2 evolution; 2D-C3N4; Pd nanocubes; Nonplasmonic transition metals
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.10.115

Pd/2D-C3N4 composites are prepared by a facile hydrothermal method, which exhibit enhanced light absorption through interband electronic transitions and show obvious enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (758.3 μmol/g/h). [Display omitted] •The Pd/2D-C3N4 composites can be synthesized via a facile hydrothermal strategy.•Pd nanocubes have excellent trapping capability for electrons.•0.5% Pd/2D-C3N4 exhibits a stable and excellent H2 evolution activity.•The external quantum efficiency of 0.5% Pd/2D-C3N4 is up to 3.8% (λ = 420 nm). As a kind of metal-free photocatalytic materials, carbon nitride has been widely applied in photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) evolution, but the solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency is still not ideal. In this work, Pd nanocubes are anchored on 2D-C3N4 through a facile hydrothermal strategy to obtain better charge separation/transfer efficiency, attributed to the excellent trapping capability for electrons and the energetic electrons via the interband transition of Pd nanocubes. The as-synthesized Pd/2D-C3N4 composites exhibit superior and stable photocatalytic H2 evolution performance, and 0.5% Pd/2D-C3N4 possesses the optimized activity with the H2 evolution rate of 1208.6 μmol g−1 h−1. In addition, the apparent quantum efficiency for photocatalytic H2 evolution is up to 3.8% at 420 nm. The increased photocatalytic activity may mainly benefit from the excellent charge separation/transfer efficiency caused by doping Pd nanocubes.