Pulsed laser synthesis of free-standing Pt single atoms in an ice block for enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of g-CN.

This study reports an innovative synthesis method of a Pt/g-CN single atom catalyst for enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The method involves the synthesis of free-standing Pt single atoms within an HPtCl ice block using a pulsed laser reduction process, followed by transferring them onto few-layer g-CN through electrostatic adsorption at low temperature. This approach eliminates the need for high-energy lasers and porous support materials during laser solid-phase synthesis. The photocatalytic activities of Pt/g-CN synthesized under various laser conditions are evaluated to optimize the synthesis parameters. The optimal Pt/g-CN catalyst demonstrates a significantly higher photocatalytic hydrogen evolution capability (320 μmol h), 129 times that of pure g-CN (2.2 μmol h). This work expands the laser-solid phase synthesis method, offering a promising route for the production of single atom catalysts with simple operation, clear synthetic pathways, low cost, and environmental friendliness.