Ni-based photocatalytic H2-production cocatalysts2

Abstract

Photocatalysis is believed to be one of the best methods to realize sustainable H2 production. However, achieving this through heterogeneous photocatalysis still remains a great challenge owing to the absence of active sites, sluggish surface reaction kinetics, insufficient charge separation, and a high thermodynamic barrier. Therefore, cocatalysts are necessary and of great significance in boosting photocatalytic H2 generation. This review will focus on the promising and appealing low-cost Ni-based H2-generation cocatalysts as the alternatives for the high-cost and low-abundance noble metal cocatalysts. Special emphasis has been placed on the design principle, modification strategies for further enhancing the activity and stability of Ni-based cocatalysts, and identification of the exact active sites and surface reaction mechanisms. Particularly, four types of modification strategies based on increased light harvesting, enhanced charge separation, strengthened interface interaction, and improved electrocatalytic activity have been thoroughly discussed and compared in detail. This review may open a new avenue for designing highly active and durable Ni-based cocatalysts for photocatalytic H2 generation.

S‐Scheme Heterojunction TiO2/CdS Nanocomposite Nanofiber as H2‐Production Photocatalyst

“…Clean hydrogen (H 2 ) production offers potential opportunity to handle the challenges because H 2 energy has the merits of high caloric power, no pollution, and inexhaustible supply from water . Semiconductor‐driven photocatalytic H 2 evolution from water splitting is one of the most sustainable method for H 2 production . There are a lot of photocatalysts attracting growing attention from researchers, such as bismuth oxyhalide, covalent organic framework, magnesium silicate‐hydrothermal carbon composite, 2D Bi 2 WO 6 and so on.…”

Synthesis and photocatalytic H2‐production activity of plasma‐treated Ti3C2Tx MXene modified graphitic carbon nitride

“…Hydrogen energy, a promising alternative fuel in the future, has attracted extensive interests in the last few years due to its high energy capacity and environment friendly nature . Among various H 2 production strategies, photocatalytic water‐splitting is a feasible method under normal pressure and temperature . To date, various photocatalysts have been studied, such as sulfides, oxides, graphitic carbon nitride .…”

Synthesis of a well-dispersed CaFe2O4/g-C3N4/CNT composite towards the degradation of toxic water pollutants under visible light

“…In this mode, the charge separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs can be drastically enhanced and the recombination rate can be minimized, thus improving the photocatalytic ability of the CaFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 /CNT composite. [34][35][36][37][38][39][40] The possible photocatalytic mechanism for the photodegradation of Cr(VI) and TC as well as hydrogen generation using the ternary CaFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 /CNT composite under visible light irradiation is proposed in Fig. S1.…”