It is vital to develop highly efficient composite photocatalysts and clarify the electron transfer mechanism in the fields of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Herein, by coated with zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) shell on the outer surface of core-shell Cu2O/ TiO2 heterojunction, a novel composite nanoarchitectonics (Cu2O@TiO2@ZIF-8) with double-shell heterojunctions was constructed. Under the same conditions, without loading any cocatalysts, the nanoarchitectonics can show higher photocatalytic activity and stability for hydrogen evolution compared to some similar photocatalyst systems. By fluorescence spectra, photocurrent response, and electrochemical impedance measurements, it was demonstrated that the electron-hole recombination can be effectively suppressed by the built-in electric field generated in the special Cu2O@TiO2@ZIF-8 nanoarchitectonics. In addition, the synergistic effect between Cu2O@TiO2 and ZIF-8 in the nanoarchitectonics system was also the main factor to significantly improve the electron transfer and photocatalytic activity. The research will provide unique insights for fabricating new and efficient photocatalysts used in hydrogen evolution.(c) 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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