Isotope Effects in Photocatalysis: An Underexplored Issue

Elucidating protonation pathways in CO2 photoreduction using the kinetic isotope effect

The surge in anthropogenic CO2 emissions from fossil fuel dependence demands innovative solutions, such as artificial photosynthesis, to convert CO2 into value-added products. Unraveling the CO2 photoreduction mechanism at the molecular level is vital for developing high-performance photocatalysts. Here we show kinetic isotope effect evidence for the contested protonation pathway for CO2 photoreduction on TiO2 nanoparticles, which challenges the long-held assumption of electron-initiated activation. Employing isotopically labeled H2O/D2O and in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, we observe H+/D+-protonated intermediates on TiO2 nanoparticles and capture their inverse decay kinetic isotope effect. Our findings significantly broaden our understanding of the CO2 uptake mechanism in semiconductor photocatalysts.

Differences in the catalytic properties of Fe isotopes

The significant differences in the catalytic properties caused by different 'isotopic catalysts' were discovered for the first time. The commonly purchased Fe2O3 is a 'mixture' of different Fe isotopic oxides which means the catalytic effect of Fe2O3 is theoretically a synthetical result of all isotopic compounds. In this work, the differences in catalytic properties of α-Fe2O3 with natural abundance ratio and separated isotopic α-Fe2O3 (α-54Fe2O3, α-56Fe2O3, and α-58Fe2O3) catalyzing thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were investigated, and are mainly attributed to the difference in the charge distribution of the nuclei of different iron isotopes. The result suggests that isotope effects in different isotopes when utilized as catalysts are caused by nuclear morphology and the nuclear charge distribution. This study will serve as a base as well as an initiation for future studies of the isotopic catalyst.

The role of crystal facets and disorder on photo-electrosynthesis

Photoelectrochemistry has the potential to play a crucial role in the storage of solar energy and the realisation of a circular economy. From a chemical viewpoint, achieving high conversion efficiencies requires subtle control of the catalyst surface and its interaction with the electrolyte. Traditionally, such control has been hard to achieve in the complex multinary oxides used in PEC devices and consequently the mechanisms by which surface exposed facets influence light-driven catalysts are poorly understood. Yet, this understanding is critical to further improve conversion yields and fine-tune reaction selectivities. Here, we review the impact that crystal facets and disorder have on photoelectrochemical reactivity. In particular, we discuss how the crystal orientation influences the energetics of the surface, the existence of defects and the transport of reactive charges, ultimately dictating the PEC activity. Moreover, we evaluate how facet stability dictates the tendency of the solid to undergo reconstructions during catalytic processes and highlight the experimental and computational challenges that must be overcome to characterise the role of the exposed facets and disorder in catalytic performance.

Effects of Reaction Temperature on the Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 with Pd and Cu Cocatalysts

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of reaction temperature on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 with Pd and Cu cocatalysts. N2 sorption, transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the specific surface area, pore volume, pore size, morphology and metal distribution of the catalysts. The photocatalytic destruction of methylene blue under UV light irradiation was used to test its activity. The concentration of methylene blue in water was determined by UV-vis spectrophotometer. Pd/TiO2 catalyst was more active than Cu/TiO2 and TiO2. At 0–50 °C reaction temperature, the activity of TiO2 and Pd/TiO2 increased with an increase of reaction temperature. When the temperature was as high as 70 °C, the reaction rate of TiO2 drop slightly and Pd/TiO2 became less effective. In contrast, Cu/TiO2 was more active at room temperature than the other temperatures. The results indicate that the photocatalytic activity of the catalyst is influenced by the reaction temperature and the type of cocatalyst. When the reaction temperature is higher than 70 °C, the recombination of charge carriers will increase. The temperature range of 50–80 °C is regarded as the ideal temperature for effective photolysis of organic matter. The effects of reaction temperature mainly influence quantum effect, i.e., electron-hole separation and recombination.