Copper-modified g-C3N4/TiO2 nanostructured photocatalysts for H2 evolution from glucose aqueous solution

Two strategies for synthesis of copper-modified composite photocatalysts based on graphitic carbon nitride and titanium dioxide for hydrogen evolution reaction are presented.The first one is based on the mechanical dispersion of separately prepared g-C 3 N 4 and commercial TiO 2 (Evonik P25), modified with copper.Another approach is co-calcination of melamine and commercial TiO 2 with subsequent modification by copper.The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM).The synthesized photocatalysts were tested in hydrogen evolution from glucose aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (440 nm).The largest photocatalytic activities met 235 and 259 µmol•g -1 •h -1 , corresponding to the first and the second photocatalyst series, respectively.The most active photocatalyst from the first series 1 wt.% g-C 3 N 4 /1 wt.% CuO n /TiO 2 maintained its hydrogen production rate during a 6-hour cyclic stability test.