p-Type BP nanosheet photocatalyst with AQE of 3.9% in the absence of a noble metal cocatalyst: investigation and elucidation of photophysical properties

Rahman, Mohammad Z.; Batmunkh, Munkhbayar; Bat-Erdene, Munkhjargal; Shapter, Joseph G.; Mullins, C. Buddie

doi:10.1039/c8ta07034b

Title: p-Type BP nanosheet photocatalyst with AQE of 3.9% in the absence of a noble metal cocatalyst: investigation and elucidation of photophysical properties

Journal Article · Sun Aug 05 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Journal of Materials Chemistry. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ta07034b· OSTI ID:1610669

^[1]; Batmunkh, Munkhbayar ^[2]; Bat-Erdene, Munkhjargal ^[2];

^[2];

^[3]

Univ. of Adelaide, SA (Australia); Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Univ. of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD (Australia); Flinders Univ., Adelaide, SA (Australia)
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

While stability, significantly poor apparent quantum efficiency (AQE < 0.5%) and over dependence on noble metal cocatalysts is a long standing problem, here, we report, for the first time, microwave-exfoliated p-type few-layer black phosphorous (BP-nanosheets) as a stable photocatalyst for hydrogen production without any supporting noble metal co-catalyst. This few layer BP has shown a record high apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of ~4% at 420 nm under visible light irradiation. This unprecedented AQE stems from a low level of material oxidation that impedes the degradation of BP under ambient conditions, strong absorption of photons at the surface, and a conduction band edge position that favorably facilitates the proton reduction reaction. These BP-nanosheets have also shown superior photocatalytic performance compared to the known cohort of metal-free photocatalysts such as graphitic carbon nitride, carbon dots, and red-P under identical experimental conditions. An understanding of the photo-physicochemical reasons that drive this chemistry is elucidated along with results obtained from physicochemical characterization and finite difference time domain simulations.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0002219; FG02-09ER16119

OSTI ID:: 1610669

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1471268

Journal Information:: Journal of Materials Chemistry. A, Vol. 6, Issue 38; ISSN 2050-7488

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 25 works

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Title: p-Type BP nanosheet photocatalyst with AQE of 3.9% in the absence of a noble metal cocatalyst: investigation and elucidation of photophysical properties

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