A novel microwave induced preparation of CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄-based efficient photocatalyst for enhanced visible-light hydrogen evolution

A prominent issue is developing low-cost photocatalysts for water splitting hydrogen evolution. This work used a one-step microwave irradiation technique to make a copper ferrite incorporated graphitic carbon nitride (CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄) nanocomposite for use as a visible-light reactive photocatalyst. XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, UV, PL, and BET were used to analyze the structural, morphological, optical and elemental composition of the composite photocatalysts. CuFe₂O₄ was successfully incorporated in a g-C₃N₄ matrix in this composite, resulting in a CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ heterostructure that is substantially more efficient in photocatalytic H₂ generation by water splitting under visible light. The photocatalytic activity of CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ composites is influenced by the CuFe₂O₄ loading mass. The 15-CuFe₂O₄/g-C₃N₄ composite, which includes 15% CuFe₂O₄, has a greater photocatalytic activity than the massive g-C₃N₄, with such a hydrogen evolution rate of 545 molh⁻¹ g^–1, which really is 9.1-fold that of the massive g-C₃N₄. This paper proposes a new way for improving semiconductor-based heterostructures for solar fuel generation efficiency.