Ni(OH)2 loaded on TaON for enhancing photocatalytic water splitting activity under visible light irradiation

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.10.114
• Publication Date: 2014-10-25T01:37:30Z
• Authors: Wei Chen; Mingchao Chu; Li Gao; Liqun Mao; Jian Yuan; Wenfeng Shangguan
• Keywords: Visible spectrum

Abstract The noble-metal-free Ni(OH)2 as a cocatalyst was loaded on TaON photocatalyst by a precipitation method. The characterization of XRD, SEM, HRTEM and XPS revealed that Ni species was loaded on TaON in the form of β-Ni(OH)2. The composite Ni(OH)2/TaON showed higher photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution (3.15 μmol/h) than that of naked TaON and even higher than 0.5 wt% Pt/TaON (1.48 μmol/h) under visible light (λ > 400 nm) in the presence of methanol as a sacrificial reagent, while the weight ratio of TaON: Ni(OH)2 reached 5. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of Ni(OH)2/TaON is attributed to the rapid electrons migration from CB of TaON to Ni(OH)2, which restrains the recombination of charge carriers generated by TaON and facilitates the hydrogen evolution.