The impact of radio–green light interaction on hydrogen evolution reaction inhibition of carbon based electrophotocatalyst

• Activated charcoal enhances HER via local electric fields formation • RF interference with green light reduces electrophotocatalysis efficiency. • Localized SPR in activated carbon boosts HER at specific frequencies. • Functional groups and impurities causes surface polarization drives photocatalysis. • Excessive localized heating due to RF reduces electrophotocatalysis efficiency. This study investigates the effects of radio wave frequencies (470 MHz, 670 MHz, and 870 MHz) on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) during water electrolysis using activated charcoal as an electrophotocatalyst. The results reveal that a frequency of 870 MHz produced the highest hydrogen concentration (7775 ppm), followed by 670 MHz (7016 ppm), and 470 MHz (4219 ppm). In contrast, electrolysis without radio frequency application resulted in 8271 ppm of hydrogen suggests the interaction between radio and light interaction inhibits hydrogen production. FTIR analysis identified multiple functional groups on the activated charcoal surface, including OH, C=O, and C-Cl, which influence the material’s interaction with electromagnetic fields. SEM and EDS characterizations revealed a hierarchical porous microstructure with elemental inclusions such as Si, Al, and Cl that contribute to surface polarization. This study proposes that surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is induced by metal impurities on the activated chcarcoal surface, enhancing the local electric field and improving HER. The complex interaction of functional groups, elemental composition, and radio waves offers insights into optimizing activated charcoal for improved HER efficiency.