A Metal-Organic-Framework-Derived g-C3N4/α-Fe2O3 Hybrid for Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Graphical Green hybrid : A Z-Scheme system, g-C 3 N 4 /α-Fe 2 O 3 , was synthesized by a MOF-derived template method. The optimized system shows excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance with visible light response. As one of the most efficient systems for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, the Z-Scheme system, consisting of different semiconductors with a reversible donor–acceptor pair, has attracted great attention. Considering the non-toxicity and low cost of photocatalysts, a series of g-C 3 N 4 /α-Fe 2 O 3 hybrids were rationally constructed based on the Z-Scheme mechanism for the first time, using a metal-organic framework template approach that can fine tune the compositions and properties of the hybrids. An optimized hybrid, g-C 3 N 4 /α-Fe 2 O 3 -2, exhibited prominent photocatalytic water splitting performance with a visible light response. Under irradiation of visible light ( λ >420 nm), the hybrid shows a high durability and superior hydrogen production rate of 2066.2 μmol g −1 h −1 from water splitting, which is approximately three times greater than that of bulk g-C 3 N 4 because of the effective separation of photo-excited charge carriers by two narrow band gap semiconductors, tightly coupled with the Z-Scheme structural feature.