Ultrathin Z-scheme 2D/2D N-doped HTiNbO5 nanosheets/g-C3N4 porous composites for efficient photocatalytic degradation and H2 generation under visible light

Chao Liu; Zitong Han; Yue Feng; Hailu Dai; Yefan Zhao; Ni Han; Qinfang Zhang; Zhigang Zou

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.018

Ultrathin Z-scheme 2D/2D N-doped HTiNbO₅ nanosheets/g-C₃N₄ porous composites for efficient photocatalytic degradation and H₂ generation under visible light

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Feb 1:583:58-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.018. Epub 2020 Sep 16.

Authors

Chao Liu¹, Zitong Han², Yue Feng², Hailu Dai², Yefan Zhao², Ni Han², Qinfang Zhang³, Zhigang Zou⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China; Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Centre (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China. Electronic address: cliu@ycit.edu.cn.
² School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China.
³ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China. Electronic address: qfangzhang@gmail.com.
⁴ Eco-Materials and Renewable Energy Research Centre (ERERC), School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China.

PMID: 32977193
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.09.018

Abstract

To realize highly efficient utilization of solar energy for solving problems of environmental pollution and energy shortage has attracted increasing attention. Herein, a two-step exfoliation-restacking process was employed to construct ultrathin Z-scheme two-dimensional (2D)/2D N-doped HTiNbO₅ nanosheets/g-C₃N₄ (RTCN) heterojunction composites with the increased specific surface areas, showing the enhanced photocatalytic performance for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation and hydrogen (H₂) generation under visible light irradiation. A 2D/2D heterojunction structure was formed between N-doped H⁺-restacked HTiNbO₅ nanosheets (N-RTNS) and g-C₃N₄, which was beneficial for the effectively spatial separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The improved photocatalytic activities may be attributed to the synergistic effects of the increased specific surface area, N-doping and 2D/2D heterostructure. The active species of holes (h⁺), hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide (•O₂^-) radicals contributed to RhB photodegradation. A Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was proposed over RTCN-2 composite, showing dual advantages of the highly redox ability and efficient charge carrier separation.

Keywords: 2D/2D heterostructure; Nanosheets; Photocatalysis; Visible light; Z-scheme.