MOF-Derived Porous Ternary Nickel Iron Nitride Nanocube as a Functional Catalyst toward Water Splitting Hydrogen Evolution for Solar to Chemical Energy Conversion

Prussian blue analogue (PBA)-derived porous ternary metallic nitride (Ni3FeN) has been successfully prepared through a simple two-step oxidation–rapid nitridation process and used for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. The porous structure of the Ni3FeN nanocube contributes to the adsorption of the Eosin-Y photosensitizer, while also ensuring sufficient exposed active sites. This aids in improved reaction kinetics of the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Moreover, the superior conductivity of ternary Ni3FeN promotes the transfer of charge carriers excited from Eosin-Y, which also promotes the photocatalytic performances of Ni3FeN/Eosin-Y systems. When used with Eosin-Y as a dye photosensitizer, the porous ternary Ni3FeN nanocube exhibits superior performance, which is more than 3.45, 3.83, and 1.31 times higher than that of the PBA, NiFeOx, and Prussian blue-derived Fe3N samples. The Ni3FeN catalyst exhibits an optimal H2 production rate of 16.96 mmol g–1 h–1, with an apparent quantum efficiency of ∼3.03% at 520 nm excitation wavelength.