The effect of Pt NPs crystallinity and distribution on the photocatalytic activity of Pt–g-C3N4

Abstract

Loading of a co-catalyst on the surface of a semiconductor photocatalyst is often carried out without considering the effect of the loading procedure on the final product. The present study looks in detail at the effect that the loading method has on the morphology and final composition of platinum-based nanoparticles by means of XPS and TEM analysis. Additionally, reduction pre-treatments are performed to investigate how the coverage, crystallinity and composition of the NPs affect the photocatalytic H₂ evolution. The activity of Pt–g-C₃N₄ can significantly be enhanced by controlling the properties of the co-catalyst NPs.