Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67-Derived CoP/Co@N,P-Doped Carbon Nanoparticle Composites with Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Enhanced Photocatalytic Production of H₂ and H₂O₂

Abstract

The construction of multicomponent cocatalysts to promote charge transfer and separation is a promising strategy for enhancing the photocatalytic reduction reaction activity. Herein, zeolitic imidazolate framework-67-derived CoP/Co nanoparticles enveloped by N,P-doped C (CoP/Co@NPC) were prepared via an annealing–phosphidation approach and employed as multicomponent cocatalysts to promote the H2 and H2O2 production performance of g-C3N4. The photocatalyst with optimal composition (i.e., CoP/Co@NPC-15/g-C3N4) showed the highest H2 and H2O2 production performance with rates of 3.74 and 9.40 μmol h–1, respectively, which were about 2.3 and 5.6 times larger than that of unphosphated Co@N-doped C-decorated g-C3N4 (Co@NC/g-C3N4). Such an improvement originated from the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs and enhanced the surface catalytic activity after suitable phosphidation of Co@NC nanoparticles. Our work showed that metal–organic framework-derived metal phosphide/metal nanoparticle composites proved to be promising cocatalysts to boost photocatalytic H2 and H2O2 production.