Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (12): 2302051.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202302051

• ARTICLE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

2D/3D S-Scheme Heterojunction Interface of CeO2-Cu2O Promotes Ordered Charge Transfer for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Lijun Zhang1,2, Youlin Wu1, Noritatsu Tsubaki2,*(), Zhiliang Jin1,*()   

  1. 1 School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
    2 Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama 930-8555, Japan
  • Received:2023-02-28 Accepted:2023-04-10 Published:2023-04-17
  • Contact: Noritatsu Tsubaki, Zhiliang Jin E-mail:tsubaki@eng.u-toyama.ac.jp;zl-jin@nun.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22062001);the Innovative Team for Transforming Waste Cooking Oil into Clean Energy and High Value-Added Chemicals, Ningxia Low-Grade Resource High Value Utilization and Environmental Chemical Integration Technology Innovation Team Project

Abstract:

Rapid intrinsic carrier recombination severely restricts the photocatalytic activity of CeO2-based catalytic materials. In this study, a heterogeneous interfacial engineering strategy is proposed to rationally perform interface modulation. A 2D/3D S-scheme heterojunction with strong electronic interactions was constructed. A composite photocatalyst was synthesized for the 3D Cu2O particles anchored at the edge of 2D CeO2. First-principles calculations (based on density functional theory) and the experimental results show that a strongly coupled S-scheme heterojunction electron transport interface is formed between CeO2 and Cu2O, resulting in efficient carrier separation and transfer. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of the composite catalyst is significantly improved in the system with triethanolamine as the sacrificial agent and is 48 times as that of CeO2. In addition, the resulting CeO2-Cu2O photocatalyst affords highly stable photocatalytic hydrogen activity. This provides a general technique for constructing unique interfaces in novel nanocomposite structures.

Key words: CeO2, Cu2O, DFT, S-scheme heterostructure, Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution