Z-scheme configured iron oxide/g-C3N4 nanocomposite system for solar-driven H2 production through water splitting

A nanocomposite composed of α-Fe2O3/g-C3N4 is synthesized using a modified ultrasonication approach, which engineered a robust interfacial contact in the system. Phase formation and morphological features are confirmed via XRD and electron-microscopy techniques. XPS revealed the native oxidation states of the elements and chemisorption-mediated interactions in the system. This developed composite produced hydrogen at a rate of 1494 μmolg−1 h−1, which is around 6.6 times higher than the g-C3N4 system. The observed enhancement is attributed to the Z-scheme configuration, leading to the suitable band edge alignments, charge separation and extended lifetime of the carriers in the composite.