Pt nanoclusters modified porous g-C3N4 nanosheets to significantly enhance hydrogen production by photocatalytic water reforming of methanol
Yi-Fei Liang, Jinrong Lu, Shang-Kun Tian, Wenquan Cui, Li Liu
Abstract
For the use of green hydrogen energy , it is crucial to have efficient photocatalytic activity for hydrogen generation by water reforming of methanol under mild conditions. Much attention has been paid to g-C 3 N 4 as a promising photocatalyst for the generation of hydrogen. To improve the separation of photogenerated charge, porous nanosheet g-C 3 N 4 was modified with Pt nanoclusters (Pt/g-C 3 N 4 ) through impregnation and following photo-induced reduction. This catalyst showed excellent photocatalytic activity of water reforming of methanol for hydrogen production with a 17.12 mmol·g −1 ·h −1 rate at room temperature , which was 311 times higher than that of the unmodified g-C 3 N 4 . The strong interactions of Pt–N in Pt/g-C 3 N 4 constructed effective electron transfer channels to promote the separation of photo-generated electrons and holes effectively. In addition, in-situ infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the intermediates of the hydrogen production reaction, which proved that methanol and water eventually turn into H 2 and CO 2 via formaldehyde and formate. This study provides insights for understanding the photocatalytic hydrogen production in the water reforming of methanol.