Facilitated Unidirectional Electron Transmission by Ru Nano Particulars Distribution on MXene Mo2C@g-C3N4 Heterostructures for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

Qiuyu Chen; Zonghan Huang; Meng Liu; Xiaoping Li; Yuxuan Du; Xiaobao Chen; Dahu Ding; Shengjiong Yang; Yang Chen; Rongzhi Chen

doi:10.3390/molecules29071684

Molecules (Apr 2024)

Facilitated Unidirectional Electron Transmission by Ru Nano Particulars Distribution on MXene Mo2C@g-C3N4 Heterostructures for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

Qiuyu Chen,
Zonghan Huang,
Meng Liu,
Xiaoping Li,
Yuxuan Du,
Xiaobao Chen,
Dahu Ding,
Shengjiong Yang,
Yang Chen,
Rongzhi Chen

Affiliations

Qiuyu Chen: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Zonghan Huang: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Meng Liu: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Xiaoping Li: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Yuxuan Du: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Xiaobao Chen: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Dahu Ding: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Shengjiong Yang: Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13, Yanta Road, Xi’an 710055, China
Yang Chen: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Rongzhi Chen: College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29071684
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 29, no. 7
p. 1684

Abstract

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Precious metals exhibit promising potential for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but their limited abundance restricts widespread utilization. Loading precious metal nanoparticles (NPs) on 2D/2D heterojunctions has garnered considerable interest since it saves precious metal consumption and facilitates unidirectional electron transmission from semiconductors to active sites. In this study, Ru NPs loaded on MXenes Mo2C by an in-site simple strategy and then formed 2D/2D heterojunctions with 2D g-C3N4 (CN) via electrostatic self-assembly were used to enhance photocatalytic H2 evolution. Evident from energy band structure analyses such as UV-vis and TRPL, trace amounts of Ru NPs as active sites significantly improve the efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction. More interestingly, MXene Mo2C, as substrates for supporting Ru NPs, enriches photoexcited electrons from CN, thereby enhancing the unidirectional electron transmission. As a result, the combination of Ru-Mo2C and CN constructs a composite heterojunction (Ru-Mo2C@CN) that shows an improved H2 production rate at 1776.4 μmol∙g−1∙h−1 (AQE 3.58% at 400 nm), which is facilitated by the unidirectional photogenerated electron transmission from the valence band on CN to the active sites on Ru (CN→Mo2C→Ru). The study offers fresh perspectives on accelerated unidirectional photogenerated electron transmission and saved precious metal usage in photocatalytic systems.

Published in Molecules

ISSN: 1420-3049 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules

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