journal article·2026-06Open access

Single‐Atom Pt Anchoring on Self‐Doped ZrO 2 @G‐C 3 N 4 Nanostructure Enables Efficient Photocatalytic Seawater Hydrogen Evolution

Hezheng Sun, Yifan Guo, Xin Yu, Yajie Tian, Feng Gao, Bin Wang, Yanting Tang, Dani S. Assi, Vellaisamy A. L. Roy

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 34

Abstract

ABSTRACT Solar light‐driven photocatalytic hydrogen generation from seawater can enable sustainable fuel conversion and contribute to decarbonizing energy systems. However, seawater photocatalysis still faces inherent efficiency bottlenecks that demand further exploration. This work develops grain‐like Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 and Pt single atom (Pt SA)‐modified step scheme (S‐scheme) Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 @g‐C 3 N 4 heterostructures for seawater hydrogen generation under visible‐light irradiation. Experimental results demonstrate that the synthesized Pt SA/Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 @g‐C 3 N 4 heterostructures markedly enhanced charge separation and substantially boosted seawater photocatalytic hydrogen production, due to synergistic Pt SA effects and S‐scheme electron transfer pathways. The Pt SA/Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 @g‐C 3 N 4 heterojunction achieved a maximum hydrogen evolution rate of approximately 15683.80 µmol g −1 , which was 4.68 times of Pt NPs/Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 @g‐C 3 N 4 heterojunction, 9.16 times of Pt NPs/g‐C 3 N 4 , and 1041.97 times of Pt NPs/Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 sample, and maintained a good photocatalytic hydrogen generation performance even after five photocatalytic hydrogen evolution cycles. Turnover number (TON) and turnover frequency (TOF) were approximately 105.19 and 35.06 h −1 , respectively. Finally, a plausible S‐scheme charge transfer mechanism of Pt SA/Zr 3+ ‐ZrO 2 @g‐C 3 N 4 heterojunction was suggested for hydrogen generation from seawater splitting.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion · TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Synthesis and Conversion, School of Energy Science and Technology Henan University Zhengzhou China

School of Science and Technology Hong Kong Metropolitan University Hong Kong China

Shenzhen Research Institute Hong Kong Metropolitan University Shenzhen China

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province · National Natural Science Foundation of China

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