Highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of graphene/YInO3 nanocomposites under visible light irradiation

Abstract

Visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution with high efficiency is important in the current photocatalysis research. Here we report for the first time the design and synthesis of a new graphene–semiconductor nanocomposite consisting of YInO₃ nanoparticles and two-dimensional graphene sheets as efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation. The graphene/YInO₃ nanocomposites were synthesized using a facile solvothermal method in which the formation of graphene and the deposition of YInO₃ nanoparticles on the graphene sheets can be achieved simultaneously. The addition of graphene as a cocatalyst can narrow the band gap of YInO₃ to visible photon energy and prolong the separation and lifetime of electron–hole pairs by the chemical bonding between YInO₃ and graphene. The photocatalytic reaction with this nanocomposite reaches a high H₂ evolution rate of 400.4 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ when the content of graphene is 0.5 wt%, over 127 and 3.7 times higher than that of pure YInO₃ and Pt/YInO₃, respectively. This work can provide an effective approach to the fabrication of graphene-based photocatalysts with high performance in the field of energy conversion.