Highly active Cu2O/CoCo-PBA S-scheme heterojunction for enhanced visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Prussian blue analogues is a unique class of organic-inorganic hybrid materials that have garnered significant attention in the field of photocatalysis due to their large specific surface area and abundant active sites. However, their potential is limited by the challenge of photogenerated charge carrier recombination. To address this issue, we successfully synthesized a tightly coupled Cu2O/CoCo-PBA S-scheme heterojunction catalyst using ultrasound-assisted and thermal treatment methods, aiming to reduce the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. In this system, CoCo-PBA serves as the electron donor, while Cu2O acts as the electron acceptor. The closely coupled interface between these materials shortens the electron transfer distance. Under 10 W white light irradiation, the Cu2O/CoCo-PBA composite photocatalyst demonstrated remarkable hydrogen evolution activity, with a hydrogen production rate of 5.98 mmol⋅g⁻¹⋅h⁻¹, which is 6.4 times that of CoCo-PBA alone. This S-scheme heterojunction strategy lays the groundwork for the design and large-scale application of highly active visible-light-driven photocatalysts.