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Ligand-free Au nanoclusters/g-C3N4 ultra-thin nanosheets composite photocatalysts for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 generation

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Abstract

In this paper, we report the synthesis of ligand-free Au nanoclusters (NCs)/g-C3N4 ultra-thin nanosheets (NSs) composite via a facile wet-impregnation method with post-annealing. On the one hand, post-annealing was used for the exfoliation of multi-layered g-C3N4 to obtain ultra-thin NSs; on the other hand, after Au25(Cys)18 NCs were loaded, post-annealing was further adopted to remove the ligands to obtain clean surface on Au NCs. It is demonstrated that the loaded Au NCs were aggregating resistant by post-annealing. Constructing heterojunctions with appropriate inter-band structures between the ligand-free Au NCs and the ultra-thin g-C3N4 NSs, along with the mono-distribution of the Au NCs and their intimate contact with g-C3N4 NSs ensured the smooth interfacial charge transfer. As a result, the composite photocatalysts exhibited efficient visible-light-induced photocatalytic H2 generation, mainly due to the local electric field enhancement induced by excitation of Au NCs under visible light and the improved charge separation in g-C3N4. This work provides a general strategy for the synthesis of noble metal NCs based composites with clean surface as the efficient photocatalysts for solar energy conversion.

Graphical Abstract

A stepwise post-annealing strategy is exploited to prepare g-C3N4 ultra-thin nanosheets modified with highly dispersed ligand-free Au nanoclusters for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production.

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21706130, 21878157, 22078156, 22008117), and the Project of Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD). Financial support from “the Youth Thousand Talents Plan” of China and “the Shuang Chuang Plan” of Jiangsu province for Y.Y. is also gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, No. 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, People’s Republic of China

    Shengna Yang, Shiwen Ding, Chongyang Zhao, Siping Huo, Fengjiao Yu, Jun Fang & Yang Yang

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Yang, S., Ding, S., Zhao, C. et al. Ligand-free Au nanoclusters/g-C3N4 ultra-thin nanosheets composite photocatalysts for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 generation. J Mater Sci 56, 13736–13751 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-06184-7

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