Simply blending Ni nanoparticles with typical photocatalysts for efficient photocatalytic H2 production

Abstract

A photocatalytic system construction method of simply blending as-prepared Ni nanoparticles (Ni NPs) with g-C₃N₄ was carried out to greatly improve the photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄. In the photocatalytic H₂ production process, Ni NPs were not anchored on the surface of g-C₃N₄, but they existed in the reaction solution as freestanding nanoparticles; the continuous and frequent collision-contact between Ni NPs and g-C₃N₄ could efficiently promote the migration of photogenerated charges of g-C₃N₄, leading to an enhanced photocatalytic H₂-production activity. Moreover, this simple blend method can be applied to other photocatalysts (such as TiO₂ and CdS), and this blend method provides a simple, repetitive and generally applicable way to build a noble-metal-free photocatalytic system for the efficient photocatalytic H₂-production activity of the photocatalyst with Ni as the cocatalyst.