Unique photocatalytic activities of transition metal phosphide for hydrogen evolution

Yanbing Li; Zhiliang Jin; Hai Liu; Haiyu Wang; Yupeng Zhang; Guorong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2019.01.101

Unique photocatalytic activities of transition metal phosphide for hydrogen evolution

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2019 Apr 1:541:287-299. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.01.101. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Authors

Yanbing Li¹, Zhiliang Jin², Hai Liu³, Haiyu Wang¹, Yupeng Zhang¹, Guorong Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Solar Chemical Conversion Technology, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Key Laboratory for Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Solar Chemical Conversion Technology, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Key Laboratory for Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China. Electronic address: zl-jin@nun.edu.cn.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Solar Chemical Conversion Technology, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Key Laboratory for Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China.
⁴ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Solar Chemical Conversion Technology, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Key Laboratory for Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China. Electronic address: guorongwang@nun.edu.cn.

PMID: 30708245
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.01.101

Abstract

Economical, efficient and stable single photo-catalysts are vital for realizing enhanced photo-catalytic H₂ evolution activity. In this study, we report two n-type single transition metal phosphide with excellent photo-catalytic activity under visible light irradiation, which is of great significance for the discovery and synthesis of novel and more efficient photo-catalysts. And completely controllable synthesis will greatly reduce application costs. Furthermore, the fairly high activity of H₂ evolution of the resulting catalysts having low crystallinity and extremely strong optical properties is reveled in detail via investigating the dynamics of hydrogen generation of CoP and WP. Moreover, it is found that CoP and WP have low band-gap energy and increased optical absorption properties through studies. Meanwhile, low crystallinity state for they also is get by XRD technology. These may be the main reasons why CoP and WP exhibit efficient H₂ evolution activity. In addition, the possible mechanism showing high photo-catalytic activity of hydrogen evolution for CoP and WP is proposed by a series of other characterizations, such as SEM, TEM, XPS, BET, transient photo-current response, steady-state fluorescence, transient-state fluorescence and Mott-Schottky studies etc.

Keywords: Characterization; CoP; H(2) evolution; High photo-catalytic activity; WP.