A size tunable bimetallic nickel-zinc nitride as a multi-functional co-catalyst on nitrogen doped titania boosts solar energy conversion

To enable high-efficiency solar energy conversion, rational design and preparation of low cost and stable semiconductor photocatalysts with associated co-catalysts are desirable. However preparation of efficient catalytic systems remains a challenge. Here, N-doped TiO2/ternary nickel-zinc nitride (N-TiO2-Ni3ZnN) nanocomposites have been shown to be a multi-functional catalyst for photocatalytic reactions. The particle size of Ni3ZnN can be readily tuned using N-TiO2 nanospheres as the active support. Due to its high conductivity and Pt-like properties, Ni3ZnN promotes charge separation and transfer, as well as reaction kinetics. The material shows co-catalytic performance relevant for multiple reactions, demonstrating its multifunctionality. Density functional theory (DFT) based calculations confirm the intrinsic metallic properties of Ni3ZnN. N-TiO2-Ni3ZnN exhibits evidently improved photocatalytic performances as compared to N-TiO2 under visible light irradiation.