Monodisperse Ni-clusters anchored on carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The active sites of monodisperse transition metal Ni-clusters were anchored on carbon nitride (CN) by an in situ photoreduction deposition method to promote the efficient separation photogenerated charges and achieve high-efficiency photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution. Ni-cluster/CN exhibited a production rate 16.5 mmol·h–1·g–1 total turnover frequency (TOF (H2)) value 461.14 h–1. X-ray absorption spectroscopy based synchrotron radiation indicated that CN had two reaction centers form stable interface interactions with monodispersed Ni-clusters, which can act as electron acceptor, while nitrogen donor. Meanwhile, hybrid electronic structure system was constructed, favorable production. An in-depth understanding interfacial interaction between will have important reference significance mechanistic study development cocatalyst.