Design of a photocatalyst combining graphdiyne–Cu/NiCrO3 with Cu as an interfacial charge-transfer bridge and investigation of its photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance†

Abstract

The photocatalysts are closely combined and interact with each other, providing significant advantages for long-term solar–fuel conversion and contributing to enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. In this work, a graphdiyne–Cu/NiCrO₃ composite photocatalyst was synthesized for the first time for highly promoted photocatalytic hydrogen evolution driven by visible light. The suitable band structures of graphdiyne and NiCrO₃ and the interaction between them greatly improved the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. When Cu was loaded onto graphdiyne, it acted as an effective solid electronic medium, significantly increasing the charge-transfer rate during photocatalysis. At the same time, the strong electrical conductivity of the metal copper was conducive to the conduction of electrons. Tightly bound graphdiyne–Cu/NiCrO₃ improved charge-separation efficiency, and the hydrogen evolution rate reached 1480 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The incorporation of graphdiyne–Cu into NiCrO₃ could effectively isolate oxidation sites, thereby improving the carrier-separation rate and hydrogen-precipitation efficiency.