Facile preparation of nanosized MoP as cocatalyst coupled with g-C3N4 by surface bonding state for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

Abstract In this work, nanosized MoP was synthetized in a novel phosphorization process at a relatively low temperature under an ambient-air atmosphere and then assembled with g-C3N4 to form MoP/g-C3N4 coupled photocatalyst by a mixing and heat-treating method. Significantly, the obtained noble-metal-free MoP/g-C3N4 photocatalyst showed superior photocatalytic H2-production activity and excellent stability than most reported noble-metal-free cocatalysts modified g-C3N4. The optimal MoP/g-C3N4 photocatalyst possessed a H2-production activity of 3868 μmol h-1 gcat-1 and the corresponding AQY reached 21.6% at 405 nm. The incorporation of nanosized MoP into g-C3N4 could broaden the absorption range of visible light, built a conducive highway (Mo(δ+)−N(δ−) bond) for electrons to transfer from g-C3N4 to MoP, which improved the separation and transportation efficiency of charge carriers, and reduce the energy barrier for hydrogen evolution reaction. This work provided a reliable guideline for designing novel and simple synthetic method for cocatalyst and then constructing cocatalyst/photocatalyst coupled structure.