Highly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution on g-C3N4 decorated with vopc through π-π interaction

Photocatalytic H2 evolution reactions on pristine graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C3N4), as a promising approach for converting solar energy to fuel, are attractive for tackling global energy concerns but still suffer from low efficiencies. In this article, we report a tractable approach to modifying g-C3N4 with vanadyl phthalocyanine (VOPc/CN) for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen production. A non-covalent VOPc/CN hybrid photocatalyst formed via π-π stacking interactions between the two components, as confirmed by analysis of UV-vis absorption spectra. The VOPc/CN hybrid photocatalyst shows excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance and good stability. Under optimal conditions, the corresponding H2 evolution rate is nearly 6 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4. The role of VOPc in promoting hydrogen evolution activity was to extend the visible light absorption range and prevent the recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs effectively. It is expected that this facile modification method could be a new inspiration for the rational design and exploration of g-C3N4-based hybrid systems with strong light absorption and high-efficiency carrier separation.