Prussian blue derived Fe2N for efficiently improving the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of g-C3N4 nanosheets

Transition metal nitrides have been recognized as excellent hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts and therefore are promising alternative co-catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Herein, iron nitride (Fe2N) nanoparticles have been prepared by using MOFs as sacrificial precursors. A novel g-C3N4–Fe2N nanostructure has been fabricated by an electrostatic self-assembly method at room temperature for photocatalytic H2 evolution. MOF-derived Fe2N nanoparticles as co-catalysts can promote photo-generated charge-carrier transportation/separation and decrease the overpotential of H2-evolution. Therefore, the optimal g-C3N4–Fe2N nanocomposite exhibits an obviously improved H2 evolution rate of 88.7 μmol g−1 h−1, which is almost 48 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets.