Overall water splitting by Pt/g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>photocatalysts without using sacrificial agents
Abstract
We report the direct splitting of pure water by light-excited graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) modified with Pt, PtO <sub><i>x</i></sub> , and CoO <sub><i>x</i></sub> as redox cocatalysts, while pure g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> is virtually inactive for overall water splitting by photocatalysis. The novelty is in the selective creation of both H<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub> cocatalysts on surface active sites of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub><i>via</i> photodeposition triggering the splitting of water for the simultaneous evolution of H<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub> gases in a stoichiometric ratio of 2 : 1, irradiated with light, without using any sacrificial reagents. The photocatalyst was stable for 510 hours of reaction.
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
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