Enhanced photocatalytic performance of Ag/Ni(dmgH)2 heterojunction through synergistic plasmonic and Schottky junction effects

Herein, an Ag/Ni(dmgH) 2 photocatalyst was constructed through a controllable silver modification strategy. The combination of the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag nanoparticles and the synergistic catalytic effect of Schottky junctions significantly enhanced photogenerated carrier separation. Under optimized conditions, the Ag/Ni(dmgH) 2 system achieved a remarkable hydrogen evolution rate of 922.2 μmol/g/h under visible light, approximately 16.7 times higher than the unmodified system. Furthermore, the Ag/Ni(dmgH) 2 film fabricated via screen-printing technology effectively utilized enhanced light absorption from LSPR and efficient interfacial electron transport from Schottky junctions, achieving degradation rates of 98.9 % for Rhodamine B and 86.9 % for Quinoline Blue. The film retained 86.9 % of its activity after four cycles, demonstrating excellent recyclability. This work highlights the dual application potential of Ni(dmgH) 2 materials for photocatalytic energy conversion and environmental remediation.