g-C3N4-wrapped nickel doped zinc oxide/carbon core-double shell microspheres for high-performance photocatalytic hydrogen production

Shuang Liang; Guozhe Sui; Dongxuan Guo; Ze Luo; Rongping Xu; Hong Yao; Jinlong Li; Chao Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.12.120

g-C₃N₄-wrapped nickel doped zinc oxide/carbon core-double shell microspheres for high-performance photocatalytic hydrogen production

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Apr:635:83-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.12.120. Epub 2022 Dec 23.

Authors

Shuang Liang¹, Guozhe Sui², Dongxuan Guo³, Ze Luo¹, Rongping Xu¹, Hong Yao¹, Jinlong Li⁴, Chao Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China.
² College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalytic Synthesis for Fine Chemicals, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China. Electronic address: gzhsui@qqhru.edu.cn.
³ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalytic Synthesis for Fine Chemicals, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China. Electronic address: dongxuanguo92@gmail.com.
⁴ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalytic Synthesis for Fine Chemicals, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China. Electronic address: jinlong141@163.com.

PMID: 36580695
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.12.120

Abstract

The development of efficient heterojunctions with enhanced photocatalytic properties is considered a promising approach for photocatalytic hydrogen production. In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄)-wrapped nickel-doped zinc oxide/carbon (Ni-ZnO@C/g-C₃N₄) core-double shell heterojunctions with unique core-double shell structures were employed as efficient photocatalysts through an innovative approach. Ni doping can enhance the intensity and range of visible light absorption in ZnO, and the carbon core coupled with the hollow double-shell structure can accelerate the charge transfer rate and improve the photon utilization efficiency. Meanwhile, the construction of the Z-scheme heterojunction extended the electron-hole pair transport path. In addition, the Z-scheme charge-transfer mechanism of Ni-ZnO@C/g-C₃N₄ under simulated sunlight was verified by photoluminescence (PL) and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments. As a result, the obtained photocatalyst acquired a high hydrogen evolution rate of 336.08 μmol g^-1h^-1, which is 36.49 times higher than that of pristine ZnO. Overall, this work may provide a pathway for the construction of highly efficient photocatalysts with unique core-double shell structures.

Keywords: Carbon; Core-double shell; Nickel doping; Z-scheme heterojunction; ZnO; g-C(3)N(4).