Highly efficient solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with FeMoSx/mpg-C3N4 heterostructure

Abstract

Mesoporous g-C3N4 loaded with FeMoSx nanosheets (FeMoSx/mpg-C3N4) was synthesized for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. With the aid of the SBA-15 template, the obtained mesoporous g-C3N4 exhibits numerous porous channels facilitating the transfer of photo-carriers and enabling increased active sites. After the combination with FeMoSx, the electron coupled FeMoSx/mpg-C3N4 heterostructure discloses a remarkably enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 551.42 μmol h−1 g−1, which is 14.5 times higher than the bulk g-C3N4 of 38.08 μmol h−1 g−1, and the rate of H2 evolution of Pt/FeMoSx/mpg-C3N4 photocatalyst achieves a high value of 6212.5 μmol h−1 g−1. The hydrogen evolution mechanism of the FeMoSx/mpg-C3N4 heterojunction is systematically investigated by photo/electrochemical methods. This work provides a new approach for designing high-efficient photocatalytic systems.