CuO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite as promising photocatalyst for photoelectrochemical water splitting

CuO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite photocatalyst has been synthesized by co-precipitation method and analyzed its performance in the photoelectrochemical water splitting application. X-ray diffraction analyses and Raman measurement confirms the presence of CuO. Scanning electron microscope image shows rod shape morphology. The CuO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite exhibit the wide range of visible light absorbance and the bandgap of the material is 1.64 eV. Room temperature photoluminescence measurement reveals the presence of CuO charge transfer emission and LUMO - HUMO transition of g-C3N4. The CuO/g-C3N4 composite shows improved photocatalytic water splitting under visible light illumination. This could be attributed to the higher visible light absorbance and reduction in the recombination rate. The CuO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite electrode shows a highly stable photocurrent response.