Pt-Co Alloys-Loaded Cubic SiC Electrode with Improved Photoelectrocatalysis Property

A novel composite photocatalyst was synthesized by loading 5 wt % of platinum cobalt alloy on 3C-SiC nanowires and powder (Pt-Co-SiC) respectively via a simple polyol reduction method. Pt-Co-SiC were comprehensively characterized by SEM, HRTEM, XRD, PL, and XPS. The results indicated that Pt-Co nanoparticles in the size of 2-5 nm were dispersed homogeneously in the SiC nanowires and powders. The photocurrent response of the Pt-Co-SiC increased remarkably with increasing Pt content and the best performance was observed with the sample of Pt₃Co-SiC. Especially, the Pt₃Co-SiC nanowires photoelectrode exhibited improved cathodic current density (0.14 mA·cm^-2) under the simulated sunlight, which was about 10 times higher than the Pt₃Co-SiC powders. The H₂ production rate for the Pt₃Co-SiC nanowires is 30 times more than that of the pure SiC nanowires. The enhancement of the Pt-Co-SiC properties could be ascribed to the fact that more visible light was harvested and the photogenerated electron and the interfacial electron transfered more easily.

Shape-selective synthesis of Bi2WO6 hierarchical structures and their morphology-dependent photocatalytic activities

Various morphologies of Bi₂WO₆ were synthesized using l-lysine as surfactant and the possible formation mechanisms were proposed.

Photoelectrocatalytic activity of flexible PEDOT–PSS/silicon carbide nanowire films

A novel laterally bridged SiC nanowire network and PEDOT/PSS film composite structure were constructed and characterized by photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical methods.

Hybrid nanostructures of mixed-phase TiO2 for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

Rutile nanorods are grown on the anatase nanotubes to enhance the photocurrent density in photocatalytic water splitting.

GeH: a novel material as a visible-light driven photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

A novel photocatalyst (GeH), with 2D layered structure, was found for the first time to exhibit photocatalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution of water splitting and decomposition of organic contaminants under irradiation of visible light.