The high photocatalytic efficiency and stability of LaNiO₃/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction nanocomposites for photocatalytic water splitting to hydrogen.

ABSTRACT: A binary direct Z-scheme LaNiO₃/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite photocatalyst consisted with LaNiO₃ nanoparticles and g-C₃N₄ nanosheets was successfully synthesized by means of mechanical mixing and solvothermal methods in order to improve the photocatalytic water splitting activity. The as-prepared materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and N₂ adsorption-desorption experiments, respectively, demonstrating the formation of interfacial interaction and heterogeneous structure in LaNiO₃/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites. Under UV-light irradiation, the LaNiO₃/g-C₃N₄ samples which without the addition of any noble metal as co-catalyst behaved enhanced photocatalytic water splitting activity compared with pure LaNiO₃ and g-C₃N₄, owing to the Z-scheme charge carrier transfer pathway. Especially, the LaNiO₃/70%g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite reach an optimal yield of up to 3392.50 µmol g^-1 in 5 h and held a maximum H₂ evolution rate of 678.5 µmol h^-1 g^-1 that was 5 times higher than that of pure LaNiO₃.

SUBMITTER: Ye C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7596961 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature