Generation of Hydrogen Gas Using CuCr₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ Nanocomposites under Illumination by Visible Light

In this research, nanocomposites made of CuCr₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ accommodating distinct contents of CuCr₂O₄ (1-4 wt %) nanoparticles (NPs) were endorsed for hydrogen gas production after illumination by visible light in the presence of aqueous glycerol solution. The ultrasonication-mixture method was applied to assure the homogeneous distribution of CuCr₂O₄ NPs over synthesized mesoporous g-C₃N₄. Such nanocomposites possess suppressed recombination between the photoinduced charges. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy examinations affirmed the formation of CuCr₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions. The separation between the induced charges and the photocatalytic performance with the CuCr₂O₄ NP amount were investigated. The CuCr₂O₄-g-C₃N₄ heterojunction of 3 wt % CuCr₂O₄ content was documented as the optimal heterojunction. Upgraded hydrogen gas generation was attained over the optimal heterojunction with the extent of ten and thirty times as those registered for pure CuCr₂O₄ and g-C₃N₄ specimens, respectively, under illumination by visible light. The photocatalytic performance acquired by the diverse synthesized specimens was assessed not only by their effectiveness to absorb light in the visible region but also by their potential to separate the photoinduced charges.