Hydrogen (H2) is a well-known renewable energy source that produces water upon its burning, leaving no harmful emissions. Nanotechnology is utilized to increase hydrogen production using sacrificial reagents. It is an interesting task to develop photocatalysts that are effective, reliable, and affordable for producing H2 from methanol and acetic acid. In the present study, CuO, CdWO4, and CuO-CdWO4 nanocomposite heterostructures were prepared using a cost-efficient, enviro-friendly, and facile green chemistry-based approach. The prepared CuO, CdWO4, and CuO-CdWO4 nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction pattern, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, N2 physisorption, photoluminescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. The synthesized photocatalysts were utilized for photocatalytic H2 production using aqueous methanol and acetic acid as the sacrificial reagents under visible light irradiation. The influence of different variables, including visible light irradiation time, catalyst dosage, concentration of sacrificial reagents, and reusability of catalysts, was studied. The maximum H2 was observed while using methanol as a sacrificial agent over CuO-CdWO4 nanocomposite. This enhancement was due to the faster charge separation, higher visible light absorption, and synergistic effect between the CuO-CdWO4 nanocomposite and methanol.
Keywords: hydrogen production; nanocomposites; photocatalysis; sacrificial reagents; synergistic effect.