Boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using a noble-metal-free co-catalyst: CuNi@C with oxygen-containing functional groups

作者：Chen, Sibo; Liao, Jihai; Zhou, Zining; Yang, Siyuan; Gao, Qiongzhi; Cai, Xin; Peng, Feng^*; Fang, Yueping; Zhang, Shengsen^*

来源：Applied Catalysis B: Environmental , 2021, 291: 120139.

DOI：10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120139

• Co-catalysts
• Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
• CuNi alloy
• Oxygen-containing functional groups
• DFT calculations

Oxygen functional groups are often overlooked in most carbon coated co-catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and its influences on proton reduction are not been well considered. In this work, a noble-metal-free co-catalyst CuNi alloy nanoparticle wrapped in a carbon layer containing oxygen-containing functional groups (CuNi@C=O) was designed and synthesized. Under visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of CuNi@C=O/g-C3N4 was 2.36 mmol g-1 h-1, which was higher than that of Pt co-catalyst at the same conditions. Density functional theory calculations and mechanistic studies indicate that the H adsorption free energy on the CuNi@C=O was more suitable for hydrogen evolution than that of Pt, where the C=O groups on the carbon layer surface modulated the work function of CuNi alloy. It is believed that the understanding the function of surface C=O group can broaden the research directions of photocatalyst modification and improve the activity of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

• 单位
  广州大学; 华南农业大学