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Ligand-free Au nanoclusters/g-C3N4 ultra-thin nanosheets composite photocatalysts for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 generation.
- Source :
- Journal of Materials Science; Aug2021, Vol. 56 Issue 24, p13736-13751, 16p, 3 Diagrams, 1 Chart, 6 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- In this paper, we report the synthesis of ligand-free Au nanoclusters (NCs)/g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> ultra-thin nanosheets (NSs) composite via a facile wet-impregnation method with post-annealing. On the one hand, post-annealing was used for the exfoliation of multi-layered g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> to obtain ultra-thin NSs; on the other hand, after Au<subscript>25</subscript>(Cys)<subscript>18</subscript> NCs were loaded, post-annealing was further adopted to remove the ligands to obtain clean surface on Au NCs. It is demonstrated that the loaded Au NCs were aggregating resistant by post-annealing. Constructing heterojunctions with appropriate inter-band structures between the ligand-free Au NCs and the ultra-thin g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> NSs, along with the mono-distribution of the Au NCs and their intimate contact with g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> NSs ensured the smooth interfacial charge transfer. As a result, the composite photocatalysts exhibited efficient visible-light-induced photocatalytic H<subscript>2</subscript> generation, mainly due to the local electric field enhancement induced by excitation of Au NCs under visible light and the improved charge separation in g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript>. This work provides a general strategy for the synthesis of noble metal NCs based composites with clean surface as the efficient photocatalysts for solar energy conversion. A stepwise post-annealing strategy is exploited to prepare g-C<subscript>3</subscript>N<subscript>4</subscript> ultra-thin nanosheets modified with highly dispersed ligand-free Au nanoclusters for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00222461
- Volume :
- 56
- Issue :
- 24
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Materials Science
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 150577883
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-06184-7