NiB as a Non-noble Metal Cocatalyst Electronic Bridge to Enhance the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production of Cd₃(C₃N₃S₃)₂

Abstract

In the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production using Cd₃(C₃N₃S₃)₂ (CdTMT), it is essential to find an efficient and cost-effective material to replace noble metals, such as platinum (Pt) as cocatalysts. In this study, we utilized NiB as a substitute for precious metals. NiB acts as an electron bridge, facilitating the directional transfer of photo generated electrons within CdTMT. This process allows electrons to combine with hydrogen ions to produce hydrogen gas, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency of the material. The 1%NiB/CdTMT exhibited a good hydrogen production efficiency of 19.71 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ in the experiments, which is 14.07 times that of CdTMT alone. Additionally, we demonstrated through photoluminescence spectroscopy, transient photocurrent response, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) that NiB effectively suppresses the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, promoting the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was conducted to further validate the directional transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdTM through NiB. This work provides unique insights for the rational design and construction of non-noble metal cocatalyst electronic bridge heterojunction photocatalysts.

Keywords

Cocatalyst / Photocatalytic hydrogen production / Electronic bridge / CdTMT / NiB

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