P25/Black phosphorus/Graphene hybrid for enhanced photocatalytic activity

A novel P25/Black phosphorus/Graphene hybrid has been successfully prepared by loading two components [P25 and Black phosphorus (BP)] on graphene nanosheets via a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The P25/BP/Graphene hybrids are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM),Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns, which confirm a good crystallized P25 and BP hybridization with graphene. Photoelectrochemical tests verify that the photocurrent density of as-prepared P25/BP/Graphene ternary hybrid (9.32 μA/cm²) is greatly improved at 1 V, which is nearly 34 times higher than that of sole P25 and 4.8 times as much as that of P25/Graphene. The improved photocatalytic activity is proposed to be benefited from the higher carrier mobility and additional accessible sites derive from the special configurations of ternary hybrid, as well as the introduction of the visible and near-infrared-activated BP photocatalyst. More importantly, this work demonstrates that the as-prepared P25/BP/Graphene hybrid would be an attractive candidate as high-performance photocatalyst, and provide positive proof of concept for developing the practical applications of graphene and black phosphorus based composites.