BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2 composite nanofibers to improve hydrogen generation

This study describes the synthesis of cesium carbonate-titanium dioxide (Cs2CO3/TiO2) and boron nitride-cesium carbonate-titanium dioxide (BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2) nanofiber photocatalysts by electrospinning. The nanofiber properties were modulated by varying Cs2CO3 mole percentage. In all prepared nanofibers, the anatase TiO2 structure was the main phase. Cs2CO3 addition in the electrospinning mixture led to the formation of small amounts of rutile phase and decreased the anatase phase crystallinity. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed with the Cs2CO3/TiO2 photocatalyst that included 1.5 mol% of Cs2CO3. Indeed, the hydrogen production rate (9853 μmol·g−1· after 6 h under visible light) was 89.6 times higher than with pure TiO2 nanofibers. Modification of the 1.5% Cs2CO3/TiO2 photocatalyst with hexagonal BN further increased hydrogen production up to 15823 μmol/g (6 h under visible light). This improvement could be explained by the presence of BN sheets in the BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2 catalyst that improve the separation of the photoinduced electron–hole pairs in TiO2 and increase the specific surface area compared with pure TiO2 and Cs2CO3/TiO2 nanofibers. [Display omitted] •BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2 novel-composite nanofibers were synthesized via electrospinning technique.•The BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2 nanofibers were evaluated for photocatalytic hydrogen generation.•Cs2CO3, BN and TiO2 have Synergism effect between to be active under visible light lattice.•Defects in TiO2 and Cs2CO3 improved the composite charge separation efficiency.•BN/Cs2CO3/TiO2 nanofibers exhibited reusability and stability.