MOF-Derived Multi-heterostructured Composites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

MOF-Derived Multi-heterostructured Composites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: Deciphering the Roles of Different Components

Hussain, M.Z. (University of Exeter; Technische Universität München)
Yang, Zhuxian (University of Exeter)
van der Linden, B. (TU Delft ChemE/O&O groep)
Heinz, Werner R. (Technische Universität München)
Bahri, Mounib (University of Strasbourg)
Ersen, Ovidiu (University of Strasbourg)
Jia, Quanli (Zhengzhou University)
Fischer, Roland A. (Technische Universität München)
Zhu, Yanqiu (University of Exeter)
Xia, Yongde (University of Exeter)

2022

Bimetal-organic-framework (Bi-MOF) NH2-MIL-125(Ti/Cu)-derived nanocomposites are systematically investigated to elucidate the role of individual species TiO2, CuxO and the porous carbon matrix in photocatalytic activity. Among the studied samples, the TiO2/CuxO/C nanocomposite derived from heat processing NH2-MIL-125(Ti/Cu) under Ar/H2O vapor demonstrates the highest photocatalytic H2 evolution performance due to the formation of a phasejunction between the well-crystallized anatase/rutile TiO2 polymorph, the optimized and codoped nitrogen/carbon in the composites, the formation of p-n heterojunctions between the TiO2 and CuxO nanoparticles, as well as their uniform distribution in a hydrophilic porous carbon matrix decorated with N and carboxylic functional groups. These parameters enable the in situ-formed multi-heterostructures in these nanocomposites to not only possess relatively narrower energy band gaps and improved spatial charge separation due to the formed type-II staggered p-n heterojunctions but also offer multiple pathways for charge diffusion, resulting in lower charge-transfer resistance, suppressed bulk charge recombination, and consequently, much improved visible-light absorption. Therefore, the Bi-MOF NH2-MIL-125(Ti/Cu)-derived TiO2/CuxO/C nanocomposite provides easily accessible active sites with an excellent photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of 3147 μmol gcat-1 h-1, 99 times higher than that of bare TiO2. This work provides a simple one-step approach to producing tunable novel nanocomposites for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution without using expensive noble metals as cocatalysts.

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:896f616a-6744-4dfc-9247-128b3d11c2ba

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c02319

0887-0624

Energy & Fuels, 36 (19), 12212-12225

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2022 M.Z. Hussain, Zhuxian Yang, B. van der Linden, Werner R. Heinz, Mounib Bahri, Ovidiu Ersen, Quanli Jia, Roland A. Fischer, Yanqiu Zhu, Yongde Xia