Mechanochemically synthesized Cu-based TiO2–LaFeO3 ternary photocatalysts for efficient hydrogen generation under UV–visible light

This study reports the development of novel Cu-based LaFeO3/TiO2 photocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production via photocatalytic reforming of organic substrates under UV and visible light. Catalysts were synthesized using a simple powder-mixing method followed by ball milling, a straightforward and potentially scalable preparation approach. Initial screening studies of binary systems comprising TiO2, CuO, Cu2O, and LaFeO3 identified 10 wt% CuO/TiO2 and 3.86 wt% LaFeO3/TiO2 as the most active catalysts, achieving H2 yields of 530 μmol and 486 μmol, respectively, after 3 h of irradiation. Guided by these results, ternary composites were designed by tuning component ratios while maintaining a total catalyst concentration of 0.2 g L 1. The optimized CuO-based ternary catalyst (86.14 wt% TiO2, 10 wt% CuO, 3.86 wt% LaFeO3) delivered the highest H2 evolution of 828 μmol after 3 h of irradiation under UV + visible irradiation, showing a substantial improvement compared with the corresponding binary systems. Cu2O-based ternary materials exhibited improved stability after ball milling, with H2 production increasing from 338 μmol to 440 μmol. Among sacrificial agents, glycerol proved most effective, followed by glucose and methanol. These findings demonstrate that Cu2O/LaFeO3/TiO2 ternary photocatalysts are highly efficient, scalable, and robust materials for hydrogen generation, offering insights into synergistic interactions, structure-performance relationships, and catalyst optimization. The optimization of the experimental parameters (Ccat = 0.8 g L 1, [Glycerol] = 0.05 M, T = 90◦C) resulted in more than a 20-fold increase in H2 production. By bridging fundamental photocatalysis with applied process design, this work contributes to the development of sustainable hydrogen production strategies, highlighting a practical pathway to advance renewable energy technologies and address the global energy transition.