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Sandwich-like Hybrid Electrospun Membrane-Based Efficient Hydrogen Evolution System by the Push-Pull Double
Neng Hu1, Di Gao1, Weijia Wang2
1National Base for International Science and Technology Cooperation in Textiles and Consumer-Goods Chemistry & Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center for Green and Low-carbon Dyeing & Finishing, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 310018 Hangzhou, China.
Abstract:
An efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is realized by a push-pull effect from the piezoelectricity of a flexible hybrid membrane introduced via the water flow energy. The flexible hybrid membrane possesses a sandwich-like structure, prepared by sequentially electrospinning poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), depositing graphitic carbon nitride with Pt atoms (g-C3N4@Pt), and again electrospinning PVDF. Due to the piezoelectric property of PVDF, the deformation of the obtained sandwich-like hybrid PVDF/g-C3N4@Pt/PVDF membrane triggers two electric fields with the same direction in the top and bottom PVDF membranes. Therefore, either electrons or holes photogenerated by g-C3N4@Pt are attracted to one electric field and repelled by another. This push-pull effect induces a directional movement of charge carriers, which not only eases the separation but also hinders the recombination. Based on this favorable effect and finite element simulations for stress distribution on the membrane, the position of the sandwich-like hybrid PVDF/g-C3N4@Pt/PVDF membrane is optimized. The hydrogen evolution rate strongly increases to 5401 μmol h-1 g-1 under water flow, which is 240% to that of g-C3N4@Pt nanosheets. Thus, the sandwich-like hybrid membrane with a push-pull effect is very suitable for hydrogen production in natural aqueous environments rich in water flow and solar energy, such as lakes and rivers.
