A Novel Synthesis of Rod-Shape BaNiSn-Graphene Decorated TiO2 Composite as a Ternary Photocatalyst to Improve Visible-Light Driven H2 Evolution with Lactic Acid and TEA

A novel rod-shape BaNiSn-Graphene oxide decorated TiO 2 composite (BaNiSn-GT) has been synthesized using a simple ultrasonic method to enhance the visible-light-driven H 2 evolution with cationic scavengers. The unique structure between the interfaces of BaNiSn-Graphene and TiO 2 provides graphene oxide of contact and excellent electron transfer for H 2 evolution activity. The BaNiSn-GT ternary photocatalyst exhibits relatively high photocatalytic activity with a hydrogen evolution rate of 1012 μmol/g during 4 h. On the other hand, BaNiSn-GT composite exhibited significantly higher hydrogen evolution rates of 870 μmol/g with TEA scavenger and 730 μmol/g with LA scavenger during 1 h, respectively. Moreover, the higher photocurrent density of BaNiSn-GT is correlated with electron–hole recombination, providing evidence for its inhibition, which leads to a longer lifetime of carriers produced by photoelectrons. The mechanism of the photocatalytic H 2 evolution of BaNiSn-GT based on a full physicochemical characterization was proposed. This study provides new insight into the efficient hydrogen-evolution of graphene-based photocatalysts.