Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO2 Nanoparticles

Composites involving reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels supporting Pt/TiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated using a one-pot supercritical CO2 gelling and drying method, followed by mild reduction under a N2 atmosphere. Electron microscopy images and N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms indicate the formation of 3D monolithic aerogels with a meso/macroporous morphology. A comprehensive evaluation of the synthesized photocatalyst was carried out with a focus on the target application: the photocatalytic production of H2 from methanol in aqueous media. The reaction conditions (water/methanol ratio, catalyst concentration), together with the aerogel composition (Pt/TiO2/rGO ratio) and architecture (size of the aerogel pieces), were the factors that varied in optimizing the process. These experimental parameters influenced the diffusion of the reactants/products inside the aerogel, the permeability of the porous structure, and the light-harvesting properties, all determined in this study towards maximizing H2 production. Using methanol as the sacrificial agent, the measured H2 production rate for the optimized system (18,800 µmolH2h-1gNPs-1) was remarkably higher than the values found in the literature for similar Pt/TiO2/rGO catalysts and reaction media (2000-10,000 µmolH2h-1gNPs-1).

Recent advances and strategies to tailor the energy levels, active sites and electron mobility in titania and its doped/composite analogues for hydrogen evolution in sunlight

Hydrogen production through photocatalytic water reduction, a potential path for future renewable and sustainable energy generation.

Plasmonic Aerogels as a Three-Dimensional Nanoscale Platform for Solar Fuel Photocatalysis

We use plasmonic Au-TiO₂ aerogels as a platform in which to marry synthetically thickened particle-particle junctions in TiO₂ aerogel networks to Au∥TiO₂ interfaces and then investigate their cooperative influence on photocatalytic hydrogen (H₂) generation under both broadband (i.e., UV + visible light) and visible-only excitation. In doing so, we elucidate the dual functions that incorporated Au can play as a water reduction cocatalyst and as a plasmonic sensitizer. We also photodeposit non-plasmonic Pt cocatalyst nanoparticles into our composite aerogels in order to leverage the catalytic water-reducing abilities of Pt. This Au-TiO₂/Pt arrangement in three dimensions effectively utilizes conduction-band electrons injected into the TiO₂ aerogel network upon exciting the Au SPR at the Au∥TiO₂ interface. The extensive nanostructured high surface-area oxide network in the aerogel provides a matrix that spatially separates yet electrochemically connects plasmonic nanoparticle sensitizers and metal nanoparticle catalysts, further enhancing solar-fuels photochemistry. We compare the photocatalytic rates of H₂ generation with and without Pt cocatalysts added to Au-TiO₂ aerogels and demonstrate electrochemical linkage of the SPR-generated carriers at the Au∥TiO₂ interfaces to downfield Pt nanoparticle cocatalysts. Finally, we investigate visible light-stimulated generation of conduction band electrons in Au-TiO₂ and TiO₂ aerogels using ultrafast visible pump/IR probe spectroscopy. Substantially more electrons are produced at Au-TiO₂ aerogels due to the incorporated SPR-active Au nanoparticle, whereas the smaller population of electrons generated at Au-free TiO₂ aerogels likely originate at shallow traps in the high surface-area mesoporous aerogel.

Silica-titania composite aerogel photocatalysts by chemical liquid deposition of titania onto nanoporous silica scaffolds

Silica-titania composite aerogels were synthesized by chemical liquid deposition of titania onto nanoporous silica scaffolds. This novel deposition process was based on chemisorption of partially hydrolyzed titanium alkoxides from solution onto silica nanoparticle surfaces and subsequent hydrolysis and condensation to afford titania nanoparticles on the silica surface. The titania is homogeneously distributed in the silica-titania composite aerogels, and the titania content can be effectively controlled by regulating the deposition cycles. The resultant composite aerogel with 15 deposition cycles possessed a high specific surface area (SSA) of 425 m(2)/g, a small particle size of 5-14 nm, and a large pore volume and pore size of 2.41 cm(3)/g and 18.1 nm, respectively, after heat treatment at 600 °C and showed high photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of methylene blue under UV-light irradiation. Its photocatalytic activity highly depends on the deposition cycles and heat treatment. The combination of small particle size, high SSA, and enhanced crystallinity after heat treatment at 600 °C contributes to the excellent photocatalytic property of the silica-titania composite aerogel. The higher SSAs compared to those of the reported titania aerogels (<200 m(2)/g at 600 °C) at high temperatures combined with the simple method makes the silica-titania aerogels promising candidates as photocatalysts.

Monodisperse hollow spheres with sandwich heterostructured shells as high-performance catalysts via an extended SiO2 template method

To improve and extend the SiO2 template method for preparing metal oxide hollow spheres, a general and facile "sol-gel and hydrothermal" method is developed to replace the current "sol-gel, calcination, and base-etching" processes for the construction of well-defined sandwich metal oxide@noble metal NP@metal oxide hollow spheres. As-synthesized hollow spheres exhibit high performances in various catalytic reactions.

Plasmonic enhancement of visible-light water splitting with Au-TiO2 composite aerogels

We demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of visible-light-driven splitting of water at three-dimensionally (3D) networked gold-titania (Au-TiO2) aerogels. The sol-gel-derived ultraporous composite nanoarchitecture, which contains 1 to 8.5 wt% Au nanoparticles and titania in the anatase form, retains the high surface area and mesoporosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogels and maintains stable dispersion of the ~5 nm Au guests. A broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) feature centered at ~550 nm is present for the Au-TiO2 aerogels, but not Au-free TiO2 aerogels, and spans a wide range of the visible spectrum. Gold-derived SPR in Au-TiO2 aerogels cast as films on transparent electrodes drives photoelectrochemical oxidation of aqueous hydroxide and extends the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 from the ultraviolet region to visible wavelengths exceeding 700 nm. Films of Au-TiO2 aerogels in which Au nanoparticles are deposited on pre-formed TiO2 aerogels by a deposition-precipitation method (DP Au/TiO2) also photoelectrochemically oxidize aqueous hydroxide, but less efficiently than 3D Au-TiO2, despite having an essentially identical Au nanoparticle weight fraction and size distribution. For example, 3D Au-TiO2 containing 1 wt% Au is as active as DP Au/TiO2 with 4 wt% Au. The higher photocatalytic activity of 3D Au-TiO2 derives only in part from its ability to retain the surface area and porosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogel. The magnitude of improvement indicates that in the 3D arrangement either a more accessible photoelectrochemical reaction interphase (three-phase boundary) exists or more efficient conversion of excited surface plasmons into charge carriers occurs, thereby amplifying reactivity over DP Au/TiO2. The difference in photocatalytic efficiency between the two forms of Au-TiO2 demonstrates the importance of defining the structure of Au[parallel]TiO2 interfaces within catalytic Au-TiO2 nanoarchitectures.

ZnFe2O4 decorated CdS nanorods as a highly efficient, visible light responsive, photochemically stable, magnetically recyclable photocatalyst for hydrogen generation

Charge separation, protection of photocatalysts from hole attacks, and easy recyclability, which are of paramount importance in the development and applications of highly efficient and photochemically stable nanosized semiconductor photocatalysts, were achieved simultaneously by paramagnetic ZnFe2O4 nanocrystal decorated CdS nanorods. The photo-induced holes of CdS tend to migrate to the photochemically stable ZnFe2O4 domain while the photo-induced electrons of ZnFe2O4 tend to migrate to the photochemically more active CdS domain, achieving CdS protection and electron-hole separation. Decoration of ZnFe2O4 nanocrystals on CdS nanorod surfaces was achieved with a solvothermal process, giving a highly efficient, visible light responsive, photochemically stable, magnetically recyclable photocatalyst for hydrogen generation through water splitting. Specific hydrogen evolution rates as high as 2.44 mmol g(-1) h(-1) were achieved with the present product under visible light illumination, with its long term stability demonstrated.