Photodecomposition of water over Pt/TiO2 catalysts

Effectiveness of nitrogen incorporation to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of nanostructured TiO2:NH3 versus H2-N2 annealing

Highly ordered TiO(2) nanohole layers were synthesized by anodic oxidation of titanium foils using ethylene glycol and ammonium fluoride as the electrolyte. The effectiveness of different methods, namely annealing at 500 °C in NH(3) and in H(2) diluted in N(2), to incorporate nitrogen into TiO(2) and thus extend its photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity to the visible range was studied. The intra-gap levels introduced by both processes were identified by means of XPS and PL measurements. Water splitting experiments demonstrated that annealing in H(2) improved the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO(2), while annealing in ammonia led to a decrease in the PEC performance.

Molecular Mechanism of Water Oxidation Reaction at Photo-Irradiated TiO2 and Related Metal Oxide Surfaces

Recent studies on the molecular mechanism of water photooxidation (or oxygen photoevolution) reaction on TiO2 and related metal oxides or oxynitrides are reviewed. It is shown that a lot of experimental and theoretical studies give definite support to our recently proposed new mechanism, called “nucleophilic attack of H2O” or “Lewis acid-base” mechanism. The new mechanism has the prominent features that it possesses energetic and kinetics different from the conventional electron-transfer mechanism and can explain water photooxidation reaction on visible-light responsive metal oxides or oxynitrides, contrary to the conventional one. The result indicates that the new mechanism is useful for searching for new efficient visible-light responsive materials for solar water splitting.

Development of Visible-Light-Driven TiO2 and SrTiO3 Photocatalysts Doped with Metal Cations for H2 or O2 Evolution

This review paper represents photocatalytic properties of metal cation-doped TiO2 (rutile) and SrTiO3 photocatalysts for O2 evolution from an aqueous silver nitrate solution and H2 evolution from an aqueous methanol solution under visible light irradiation. Photocatalytic activities for the O2 evolution of Cr/Sb and Rh/Sb-codoped TiO2 are strongly dependent on the codoping ratio and the amount of doped chromium and rhodium. The codopant controls the oxidation number of doped chromium and rhodium. Rh-doped SrTiO3 in which the doped Rh species possesses a reversible redox property is active for the H2 evolution reaction under visible light irradiation. Overall water splitting under visible light irradiation proceeds with Z-scheme photocatalyst systems consisting of the Rh-doped SrTiO3 as a H2 evolution photocatalyst combined with BiVO4 as an O2 evolution photocatalyst and an Fe3+/Fe2+ electron mediator.

Dependence of sonochemical parameters on the platinization of rutile titania - an observation of a pronounced increase in photocatalytic efficiencies

Using a standing wave sonochemical reactor (SWSR), the influences of parameters of ultrasonic power input, sonication time, sonication temperature and the amount of propanol (which generates the reducing radicals) were systemically investigated to ascertain and optimize the best conditions for the sonochemical reduction of Pt from its precursor hexachloroplatinic acid and then its deposition on rutile TiO(2) (platinization of rutile titania) catalysts. Catalytic activity of the prepared platinized catalysts was tested in the reaction of methyl orange degradation. The results of photocatalytic activity study in the degradation of methyl orange further demonstrate that sonochemically as-prepared Pt/TiO(2) catalysts show a pronounced increase ( approximately 2 times) in photodegradation, even with a deposition of small amounts of platinum (1.4wt.%), as compared to the unsupported or naked rutile titania. Although there are various parameters that influence the sonochemical platinization of rutile titania, the present optimization results clearly indicate that the best photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange can be obtained when the experimental conditions of the preparation were with an input power of 50W, an initial hexachloroplatinic acid volume of 70ml (which results into 1.4wt.% Pt on TiO(2)), sonication time of 90min, 0.18g of propanol and a temperature of 10 degrees C were adopted. The method of ultrasound application to prepare metal supported semiconductors has many advantages such as convenience, safety and high efficiency. Furthermore, it is hopeful that this optimization study can also be extended to the generation of similar metal supported semiconductors.

Mechanism of Water Photooxidation Reaction at Atomically Flat TiO2(Rutile) (110) and (100) Surfaces: Dependence on Solution pH

The mechanism of water photooxidation reaction at atomically flat n-TiO(2) (rutile) surfaces was investigated in aqueous solutions of various pH values, using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The PL bands, which peaked at around 810 and 840 nm for the (110) and (100) surfaces, respectively, were assigned to radiative transitions between conduction-band electrons and surface-trapped holes (STH), [Ti-O=Ti(2)](s)+, formed at triply coordinated (normal) O atoms at the surface lattice. The PL intensity (I(PL)) decreased stepwise with increasing solution pH, namely, it sharply decreased at around pH 4, near the point of zero charge of TiO(2) (about 5), and then rapidly decreased to zero near pH 13. The first sharp decrease around pH 4 is attributed to the increased rate of nucleophilic attack of a water molecule to a hole at a site of surface bridging oxygen (Ti-O-Ti), the density of which increases with increasing pH. The nucleophilic attack is regarded as the main initiating step of the water oxidation reaction in low and intermediate pH. The high PL intensity at low pH is ascribed to slow nucleophilic attack owing to a very low density of Ti-O-Ti by its protonation at the low pH. The second sharp decrease near pH 13 is attributed to formation of surface anionic species like Ti-O- which can be readily oxidized by photogenerated holes. Interrelations between reaction intermediates proposed in this work and those reported by time-resolved laser spectroscopy are discussed.

Photophysical and photocatalytic properties of SrTiO3 doped with Cr cations on different sites

Usually, SrTiO3 monodoped with Cr cations at the Ti4+ site hardly shows visible light photocatalytic activity. Revealing the origin of this issue is important for us to find an alternative approach to make SrTiO3 active under visible light irradiation. In this paper, two Cr-doped SrTiO3-(Sr0.95Cr0.05)TiO3 and Sr(Ti0.95Cr0.05)O3-were synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction method, and their photophysical and photocatalytic properties were studied comparatively. It was found that both (Sr0.95Cr0.05)TiO3 and Sr(Ti0.95Cr0.05)O3 showed considerable absorption to visible light. However, their photocatalytic activities for H2 evolution from aqueous methanol solution under visible light irradiation were significantly different: the H2 evolution rate over (Sr0.95Cr0.05)TiO3 (approximately 21 micromol/h) was more than 100 times that over Sr(Ti0.95Cr0.05)O3 (approximately 0.2 micromol/h). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis results revealed that the Cr cations doped at the Sr2+ site were all trivalent state (Cr3+), while those doped at the Ti4+ site were mixed valent states (Cr3+ and Cr6+). The different photocatalytic activities of H2 evolution are supposed to closely relate to the different valent states of Cr doped at different sites (Sr2+ or Ti4+) in SrTiO3. Possible electronic structures of (Sr0.95Cr0.05)TiO3 and Sr(Ti0.95Cr0.05)O3 were proposed in relation to their photophysical and photocatalytic properties.

Development of new photocatalytic water splitting into H2 and O2 using two different semiconductor photocatalysts and a shuttle redox mediator IO3-/I-

A new type of photocatalytic reaction that splits water into H2 and O2 was designed using a two-step photoexcitation system composed of an iodate/iodide (IO3-/I-) shuttle redox mediator and two different photocatalysts, one for H2 evolution and the other for O2 evolution. Photocatalytic oxidation of water to O2 and reduction of IO3- to I- selectively proceeded with good efficiencies over TiO2-rutile and Pt-WO3 photocatalysts under UV and visible light irradiations, respectively. The O2 evolution selectively proceeded even in the presence of a considerable amount of I- in the solutions, although the oxidation of water is thermodynamically less favorable than oxidation of I-. Both the adsorption property of IO3- anions and the oxidation property of the photocatalysts are doubtless responsible for the selective oxidation of water. On the other hand, photocatalytic reduction of water to H2 and oxidation of I- to IO3- proceeded over Pt-TiO2-anatase and Pt-SrTiO3:Cr/Ta (codoped with Cr and Ta) photocatalysts under UV and visible light, respectively. The combination of two different photocatalysts results in a stoichiometric evolution of H2 and O2 via the redox cycle of IO3- and I-. The photocatalytic water splitting under visible light irradiation (lambda > 420 nm) was demonstrated by using the Pt-SrTiO3:Cr/Ta, Pt-WO3, and IO3-/I- shuttle redox mediator.

Oxygen photoevolution on a tantalum oxynitride photocatalyst under visible-light irradiation: how does water photooxidation proceed on a metal-oxynitride surface?

The mechanism of water photooxidation (oxygen photoevolution) on a TaON photocatalyst was studied on the basis of our previous studies on the mechanism of this reaction on TiO(2) and N-doped TiO(2). We have confirmed that photocatalytic O(2) evolution occurs from an aqueous TaON suspension in the presence of Fe(3+), as reported. In-situ MIR-IR experiments have indicated that the TaON surface is slightly oxidized under visible-light irradiation, indicating that the oxygen photoevolution on TaON actually occurs on a thin Ta-oxide overlayer. The in-situ MIR-IR experiments have also shown that a certain surface peroxo species, tentatively assigned to adsorbed HOOH, is formed as an intermediate of the O(2) photoevolution reaction. Studies on the effect of addition of reductants to the electrolyte on the IPCE have shown that photogenerated holes at the TaON surface cannot oxidize reductants such as SCN(-), Br(-), methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and acetic acid, though they can oxidize H(2)O into O(2). Detailed considerations of these results have strongly suggested that the water photooxidation reaction on TaON proceeds by our recently proposed new mechanism, that is, the reaction is initiated by a nucleophilic attack of a water molecule (Lewis base) on a surface-trapped hole (Lewis acid).

Dynamics of efficient electron–hole separation in TiO2nanoparticles revealed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy under the weak-excitation condition

The transient absorption of nanocrystalline TiO(2) films in the visible and IR wavelength regions was measured under the weak-excitation condition, where the second-order electron-hole recombination process can be ignored. The intrinsic dynamics of the electron-hole pairs in the femtosecond to picosecond time range was elucidated. Surface-trapped electrons and surface-trapped holes were generated within approximately 200 fs (time resolution). Surface-trapped electrons, which gave an absorption peak at around 800 nm, and bulk electrons, which absorbed in the IR wavelength region, decayed with a 500-ps time constant due to relaxation into deep bulk trapping sites. It is already known that, after this relaxation, electrons and holes survive for microseconds. We interpreted these long lifetimes in terms of the prompt spatial charge separation of electrons in the bulk and holes at the surface.

Effect of High-Pressure Ammonia Treatment on the Activity of Ge3N4 Photocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting

The photocatalytic activity of beta-Ge(3)N(4) powder for overall water splitting is successfully enhanced by ammonia treatment at 823 K for 5-24 h at ammonia pressures of 20 MPa or greater. The surface and bulk nitrogen content in the treated samples varies according to the treatment temperature and treatment time, related to the stability of beta-Ge(3)N(4) powder under pressurized ammonia. The change in nitrogen content resulted in a change in the photocatalytic activity for overall water splitting. A beta-Ge(3)N(4) powder treated at 823 K for 5 h under ammonia at 20 MPa exhibited a photocatalytic activity 4 times higher than that of the as-synthesized powder, attributable to a decrease in the density of anion defects in the bulk and surface.

Efficient Overall Water Splitting under Visible-Light Irradiation on (Ga1-xZnx)(N1-xOx) Dispersed with Rh−Cr Mixed-Oxide Nanoparticles: Effect of Reaction Conditions on Photocatalytic Activity

The photocatalytic activity of (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) loaded with Rh-Cr mixed-oxide (Rh(2-y)Cr(y)O3) nanoparticles for overall water splitting under visible-light irradiation (lambda > 400 nm) is investigated with respect to reaction pH and gas pressure. The photocatalytic performance of the catalyst is found to be strongly dependent on the pH of the reactant solution but largely independent of gas pressure. The present photocatalyst exhibits stable and high photocatalytic activity in an aqueous solution of pH 4.5 for 72 h. The photocatalytic performance is much lower at pH 3.0 and pH 6.2, attributable to corrosion of the cocatalyst and hydrolysis of the catalyst. The dispersion of Rh(2-y)Cr(y)O3 as a cocatalyst on the (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) surface promotes hydrogen evolution, which is considered to be the rate-determining step for overall water splitting on this catalyst.

Photocatalytic Activity of R3MO7 and R2Ti2O7 (R = Y, Gd, La; M = Nb, Ta) for Water Splitting into H2 and O2

The photocatalytic activities of R3MO7 and R2Ti2O7 (R=Y, Gd, La; M=Nb, Ta) strongly depended on the crystal structure. Overall, photocatalytic water splitting into H2 and O2 proceeded over La3TaO7 and La3NbO7, which have an orthorhombic weberite structure, Y2Ti2O7 and Gd2Ti2O7, which have a cubic pyrochlore structure, and La2Ti2O7, which has a monoclinic perovskite structure. All of these materials are composed of a network of corner-shared octahedral units of metal cations (TaO6, NbO6, or TiO6); materials without such a network were inactive. The octahedral network certainly increased the mobility of electrons and holes, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activity.