Facile fabrication of N-doped heterostructured hybrid particles based on montmorillonite incorporated with g-C3N4 for enhanced hydrogen production by NaBH4 in methanol

Abstract

As an alternative to the currently increasing use of fossil fuels, hydrogen has become very important as a clean energy carrier. Herein, facile fabrication of N doped-heterostructured hybrid particles based montmorillonite (M) incorporated on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with calcination and hydrothermal nitric acid activation was performed. The N-doped heterostructured g-C3N4-M hybrid material was used as a metal-free hybrid catalyst for NaBH4 dehydrogenation in methanol for the first time. The hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 11,200 ml min−1 g−1 in methanol was obtained. XRD, SEM, FTIR, EDS, XPS and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analyses were used to characterize the physicochemical properties of heterostructured composites. Also, the mechanism of catalytic activity was evaluated with the obtained N-doped g-C3N4-M hybrid material.