Noble-metal-free Mo2C co-catalsyt modified perovskite oxide nanosheet photocatalysts with enhanced hydrogen evolution performance

Developing low cost and highly efficient catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen (H-2) evolution reaction holds significant function in water splitting. The co-catalysts load on semiconductor can promote the rapid separation and migration of photon-generated carriers, active interfacial reaction and suppress photocorrosion. Herein, we report the synthesis of Mo2C nanoparticles (NPs) decorated K+Ca2Nb3O10- nanosheets (K+CNO- NSs) heterojunction photocatalyst, where the Mo2C is used as a co-catalyst. The optimal Mo2C/K+CNO- sample with a Mo2C loading amount of 3 wt% yields an enhanced H-2 production rate of 686.5 mu mol g(-1), which is about 8.8 times higher than that of bare K+CNO- NSs (78.1 mu mol g(-1)). The enhanced photocatalytic activity might be ascribed to the faster photoinduced electrons transfer due to the ultrathin structure of K+CNO- NSs and effective charge carrier separation derived from the abundant contact heterointerfaces between K+CNO- NSs and Mo2C NPs. This study provides a guidance to construct efficient non-noble metal co-catalyst for photocatalytic H-2 evolution from water splitting.