0D/2D/1D Ag@Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3 heterojunction with semi-coherent interface derived from perovskite La1-xAgxNiO3 self-assembling with g-C3N4 for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Interfacial electron transfer plays an important role in the boosting photoactivity of heterojunction under sunlight irradiation. Here, the lattice oxygen migration etching Ag-doped perovskite induced self-assembly ternary heterojunction 0D/2D/1D Ag@Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3 via hydrothermal treatment. The LaNiO3 controlled self-assembled into Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3 heterojunctions at the interface and constructed a semi-coherent interface. Furthermore, it became reinforced quaternary heterojunction 0D/2D/1D/2D Ag@Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3/g-C3N4 by electrostatic self-assembly with g-C3N4. The novel constructed Z-scheme heterojunction Ag@Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3/g-C3N4 promotes the effective separation of photogenerated carriers. The semi-coherent interface between Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3 promotes the transfer of photogenerated carriers. At the same time, the silver nanoparticles on Ni(OH)2 nanosheets act as electron trapping sites to further improve the photocatalytic performance. In this way, the synthesized photoexcited quaternary heterojunction Ag@Ni(OH)2/La(OH)3/g-C3N4 showed an outstanding hydrogen production rate from photocatalytic water splitting (the yield of hydrogen was 1633 μmol/g/h) under simulated sunlight. It is comparable to many g–C3N4–based photocatalysts known at present.