Facile preparation and enhanced photocatalytic H2-production activity of Cu(OH)2 nanospheres modified porous g-C3N4

Abstract

A facile precipitation approach for the preparation of Cu(OH)2/g-C3N4 composite photocatalysts with good porous structure was developed for the first time. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet–visible light (UV–vis) absorbance spectra, photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A photocatalytic water splitting reaction on the as-prepared photocatalysts were carried out under visible light irradiation. The results revealed that the prepared samples showed significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity. The optimal Cu(OH)2 loading content was found to be 0.34 mol%, giving an H2-production rate of 48.7 μmol h−1 g−1, which is higher 16.5 times than that of pure g-C3N4. This high photocatalytic H2-production activity is attributed to the presence of Cu(OH)2 clusters on the surface of the porous g-C3N4, which efficiently promotes the visible light absorption and separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs.