Acid etching-induced nanocutting of LaNiO3 transplanting self-assembled photodiode array-like LaNiO3/N,P-RGO nanoreactor for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Chunxiao Zou; Wenbin Chen; Huan Li; Yue Yao; Le Gao; Jiaqi Huo; Lishan Jia

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.012

Acid etching-induced nanocutting of LaNiO₃ transplanting self-assembled photodiode array-like LaNiO₃/N,P-RGO nanoreactor for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2024 May 6:669:679-687. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.012. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chunxiao Zou¹, Wenbin Chen¹, Huan Li¹, Yue Yao¹, Le Gao¹, Jiaqi Huo¹, Lishan Jia²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China.
² Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China. Electronic address: jials@xmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38733879
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.012

Abstract

Nanoscale graphene-semiconductor composite photocatalysts with fascinating properties in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution have inspired numerous interests in broad research fields. The architectures with efficient light response and promoting charge separation at the interface between reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and semiconductor are critical, yet synthesizing them remains a formidable challenge. Herein, the photodiode array-like LaNiO₃/N,P-RGO (LNO/N,P-RGO) nanoreactor was constructed using an innovative strategy of acid etching-induced nanocutting self-assembly. Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate working as both a nitrogen phosphorus co-dopant and an acid etching reagent, cuts perovskite LaNiO₃ (LNO) nanoparticles into nanorods, which are bonded evenly on the nitrogen phosphorus co-doped reduced graphene oxide (N,P-RGO) to form an n-n semiconductor heterojunction LNO/N,P-RGO as a photodiode array-like nanoreactor via hydrothermal treatment. The photodiode array-like nanostructure exposes more active sites that are conducive to light absorption. The robust Ni-C and P-O bonds promote the narrowing of space-charge region at the interface by UV irradiation, thereby improving the transport of photogenerated carriers by visible light irradiation. The LNO/N,P-RGO nanoreactor exhibits excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance with a yield of up to 354 μmol g^-1 h^-1 under UV-visible light, which is 50 times higher than that of pure perovskite LNO, and it also displays favorable recycling stability.

Keywords: Graphene; Heterostructure; Nanocutting; Nanoreactor; Photocatalyst.