Transition metal phosphides are considered to be promising
cocatalysts
that can be used to improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production
performance. However, the relatively low conductivity, high overpotential,
and limited interface driving force between the photocatalysts hamper
their activity. In this study, we introduce work function engineering
via MoO2 modification to modulate the Fermi energy level
of Ni2P to obtain an enhanced Schottky effect in the photocatalytic
hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Moreover, heterojunction engineering
of MoO2/Ni2P decreases the adsorption energy
of hydrions and facilitates the electrical conductivity and kinetics
of HERs. The trifecta of MoO2 in hybrid cocatalysts significantly
promotes the neutral photocatalytic HER efficiency of g-C3N4. Therefore, the as-prepared MoO2/Ni2P@g-C3N4 composite shows excellent photocatalytic
HER performance, which reaches up to 1.38 times that of Pt-modified
g-C3N4. Hence, this study provides in-depth
insights into the simultaneous utilization of the work function and
heterojunction modulation of cocatalysts to improve the photocatalytic
HER performance.