One-step construction of FeO_x modified g-C₃N₄ for largely enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Incorporation of FeO_x in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) usually resulted in limited improvements in the photocatalytic activity due to the possible reactions between iron and g-C₃N₄ during synthesis. Herein, using ferrocene and urea as the precursors of FeO_x and graphitic carbon nitride, respectively, a new kind of FeO_x modified g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts has been prepared by a facile one-step calcination procedure. We here, for the first time, report the much-enhanced efficacy of FeO_x modified g-C₃N₄ in the visible light-driven photocatalytic H₂ production. The peak H₂ production rate of 108 μmol h^-1 has been obtained at optimized loading amount of FeO_x in the composites, which is about 4.2 times of that on the pure g-C₃N₄ obtained from urea. This remarkable improvement can be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorbance, improved surface area and charge carrier separation and transfer ability.