Visible-light assisted hydrogen evolution via water splitting over micro-fluidized Cu-doped polymeric carbon nitride sheets

Abstract

Hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting was investigated by Cu-doped polymeric carbon nitride and Cu-doped substrate under visible light irradiation. The results showed that Cu-doped substrate exhibited higher hydrogen production in the visible range than bare polymeric carbon nitride. Notably, the photocatalytic power of prepared photocatalysts as the hydrogen evolution rate was recorded as ∼1422 μmolg⁻¹ h⁻¹ which is 38 manifolds than bulk polymeric carbon nitride. This is because Cu-doped polymeric carbon nitride-based heterostructure confines the band alignment which harvests solar light in the visible range. Also, the doped Cu on the porous PCN sheet-like structure boosts the charge carrier's separation resulting high H₂ yield. The apparent quantum yield of Cu-doped PCN's hydrogen generation is 5.75 % at 420 nm.