Issue 16, 2023

Suitable energy avenue for the dimension-matched cascade charge transfer mechanism in a g-C3N4/TS-1 heterostructure co-doped with Au–TiO2 for artificial photosynthetic green fuel production

Abstract

Ultrathin electron-modulated porous zeolite MFI hollow sulfated doped Ti-containing molecular sieves (TS) were modified through a process that included the incorporation of sulfur and g-C3N4 nanosheets, followed by the integration of Au-modified TiO2 with an appropriate energy platform. The resulting hybrid material exhibited remarkable visible-light photoactivities, showing ≈18 and 19 times higher efficiency in producing H2 and CH4 from water and CO2, respectively, compared to the pristine zeolite TS. Notably, the hybrid material demonstrated excellent quantum efficiencies at a wavelength of 420 nm. The observed phenomenon is directly linked to the effective band gap engineering achieved through the cooperative effect of g-C3N4 in the nanocomposite. This engineering approach enhances both light capture and charge separation processes. Various spectroscopic techniques and electrochemical studies confirm that the distinct photoresponses can be attributed to the nanocomposite's remarkable surface area, resulting from its permeable morphology. Moreover, the modulation of excited electrons from TS nanosheets to g-C3N4, along with the catalytic functions of decorated sulphur and coupled Au–TiO2 nanosheets, significantly contributes to improved charge separation. Through conversion experiments utilizing 13CO2 and D2O, it was determined that ˙CO2 and ˙H are the active species responsible for the production of CH4 from CO2. This research opens up possibilities for the development of highly efficient and stable nanophotocatalysts, enabling latent energy production and environmental remediation.

Graphical abstract: Suitable energy avenue for the dimension-matched cascade charge transfer mechanism in a g-C3N4/TS-1 heterostructure co-doped with Au–TiO2 for artificial photosynthetic green fuel production

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Jan 2023
Accepted
09 Jul 2023
First published
26 Jul 2023

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2023,13, 4729-4743

Suitable energy avenue for the dimension-matched cascade charge transfer mechanism in a g-C3N4/TS-1 heterostructure co-doped with Au–TiO2 for artificial photosynthetic green fuel production

I. Khan, S. Khan, A. Zada, A. Ismail, M. I. A. Shah, M. Ateeq, P. Fazil, J. A. Khan, A. Khan, F. Jan, D. F. Shams, B. Miao, S. Ali and S. Wang, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2023, 13, 4729 DOI: 10.1039/D3CY00134B

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