Simple solid-state synthesis and improved performance of Ni(OH)2-TiO2 nanocomposites for photocatalytic H2 production

To reduce the cost of the traditional noble metal-loaded photocatalysts for H 2 production, low-cost Ni(OH) 2 -TiO 2 nanocomposites were designed and synthesized by a simple room-temperature solid-state chemical method (RSCM), which is a facile, low-cost and eco-friendly manipulation. Various testing methods and tools were used to characterize the crystal structure, elemental composition, morphology, light absorption ability, fluorescent performance, photocurrent density, and photocatalytic activity of the obtained nanocomposites. The results indicated that RSCM can be used to synthesize Ni(OH) 2 -TiO 2 nanocomposites with a small size (50   nm) and good dispersity. Compared to pure TiO 2 , the obtained nanocomposites displayed excellent photocatalytic performance for H 2 production by photocatalytic water-splitting. The amount of hydrogen needed for the optional nanocomposite NOT-1 was 9180   μmol/g, which is 29 times that of the commercial P25. The reason for the improved performance for photocatalytic hydrogen production is that the existing Ni(OH) 2 in nanocomposites promoted the separation between the photogenerated electron and holes.