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Nano Research 2023, 16(5): 6652-6660 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5422-z
Research Article | Issue | Published: 27 February 2023

Rational distribution of Ru nanodots on 2D Ti3−xC2Ty/g-C3N4 heterostructures for boosted photocatalytic H2 evolution

Show Author's Information Wen-Jing Yi1,§,  Xin Du1,§,  Meng Zhang1,  Sha-Sha Yi2,  Rui-Hao Xia1,  Chuan-Qi Li1,  Yan Liu1,  Zhong-Yi Liu1,  Wen-Lei Zhang1( ),  Xin-Zheng Yue1( )
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

§ Wen-Jing Yi and Xin Du contributed equally to this work.

Keywords:
selective growth, photocatalytic H2 evolution, targeted self-reduction strategy, unidirectional electron migration, Ru/Ti3−xC2Ty/g-C3N4
Topics:
Hydrogen evolution reaction
Cite this article:
Yi W-J, Du X, Zhang M, et al. Rational distribution of Ru nanodots on 2D Ti3−xC2Ty/g-C3N4 heterostructures for boosted photocatalytic H2 evolution. Nano Research, 2023, 16(5): 6652-6660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5422-z
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Incorporating metal nanodots (NDs) into heterostructures for high charge separation and transfer capacities is one of the most effective strategies for improving their photocatalytic activities. However, controlling the space distribution of metal NDs for optimizing charge transport pathways remains a significant challenge, particularly in two-dimensional (2D) face-to-face heterostructures. Herein, we develop a simple targeted self-reduction strategy for selectively loading Ru NDs onto the Ti3−xC2Ty (TC) surface of 2D TC/g-C3N4 (CN) heterojunction based on the reductive Ti vacancy defects creatively increased during the preparation of TC/CN by reducing calcination. Notably, the optimized Ru/TC/CN photocatalyst exhibits an outstanding H2 evolution rate of 3.21 mmol·g−1·h−1 and a high apparent quantum efficiency of 30.9% at 380 nm, which is contributed by the unidirectional transfer of the photogenerated electrons from CN to Ru active sites (CN → TC → Ru) and the suppressed backflow of electrons from Ru sites to CN, as revealed by comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work provides a novel strategy for synthesizing the highly efficient photocatalysts with a controllable charge transfer paths, which will boost the development of photocatalysis.


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About this article

Rational distribution of Ru nanodots on 2D Ti3−xC2Ty/g-C3N4 heterostructures for boosted photocatalytic H2 evolution

Show Author's information Wen-Jing Yi1,§, Xin Du1,§, Meng Zhang1, Sha-Sha Yi2, Rui-Hao Xia1, Chuan-Qi Li1, Yan Liu1, Zhong-Yi Liu1, Wen-Lei Zhang1( ), Xin-Zheng Yue1( )
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

§ Wen-Jing Yi and Xin Du contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Incorporating metal nanodots (NDs) into heterostructures for high charge separation and transfer capacities is one of the most effective strategies for improving their photocatalytic activities. However, controlling the space distribution of metal NDs for optimizing charge transport pathways remains a significant challenge, particularly in two-dimensional (2D) face-to-face heterostructures. Herein, we develop a simple targeted self-reduction strategy for selectively loading Ru NDs onto the Ti3−xC2Ty (TC) surface of 2D TC/g-C3N4 (CN) heterojunction based on the reductive Ti vacancy defects creatively increased during the preparation of TC/CN by reducing calcination. Notably, the optimized Ru/TC/CN photocatalyst exhibits an outstanding H2 evolution rate of 3.21 mmol·g−1·h−1 and a high apparent quantum efficiency of 30.9% at 380 nm, which is contributed by the unidirectional transfer of the photogenerated electrons from CN to Ru active sites (CN → TC → Ru) and the suppressed backflow of electrons from Ru sites to CN, as revealed by comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work provides a novel strategy for synthesizing the highly efficient photocatalysts with a controllable charge transfer paths, which will boost the development of photocatalysis.

Keywords: selective growth, photocatalytic H2 evolution, targeted self-reduction strategy, unidirectional electron migration, Ru/Ti3−xC2Ty/g-C3N4

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 17 October 2022
Revised: 03 December 2022
Accepted: 18 December 2022
Published: 27 February 2023
Issue date: May 2023

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2023

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22002142), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2020T130605), Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (No. 202300410436), Support Plan for College Science and Technology Innovation Team of Henan Province (No. 16IRTSTHN001), and the Science & Technology Innovation Talent Plan of Henan Province (No. 174200510018). The DFT calculation is supported by Supercomputer Center at Zhengzhou University (Zhengzhou).

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