Abstract
We have synthesized a novel Z-scheme Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5 ternary heterojunction with different amounts of Pt by the photo-deposition-hydrothermal method for photocatalytic performance. As a result of the fast electron-hole recombination and the insufficient absorption of solar light, Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5 retains its best photocatalytic activities. It has been possible to characterize Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5 heterojunction photocatalysts, which are composed of Cu2CdSnS4 and Pt/g-C3N5 nanosheets, using different techniques. It was found that the final composite Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5 heterojunction produced 6482μmol g−1 hydrogen 3 h under visible light irradiation, which was 54 times higher than the pristine g-C3N5 heterojunction and 11 times higher than the pristine Cu2CdSnS4 heterojunction. The sacrificial electron donors triethanolamine (TEOA) and methanol produced higher hydrogen evolution rates than glycerol 3958μmol g− 1 while exhibiting longer photostability of 6482μmol g− 1 and 5684μmol g− 1, respectively. It was found that the final sample Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5 heterojunction photocatalysts displayed excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) to pristine g-C3N5. There is an increase in degradation rate over pristine g-C3N5 (R2 = 0.916) with composite Cu2CdSnS4/Pt/g-C3N5. In this study, heterojunction photocatalysts have been demonstrated to have excellent photocatalytic MB degradation and hydrogen production.
