Self-assembly of a Ni(I)-photocatalyst for plain water splitting without sacrificial agents

Qin S, Badura Z, Denisov N, Tomanec O, Mohajernia S, Liu N, Kment S, Zoppellaro G, Schmuki P (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Book Volume: 122

Article Number: 106909

DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2020.106909

Abstract

The present work describes a self-assembling photocatalytic system that is observed when illuminating grey titania nanoparticles in suspension with a plain aqueous Ni²⁺ solution. Such a suspension (in contrast to white titania), under UV illumination, increasingly produces H2 from neutral water. We show that the origin of this self-activation is not the light-induced deposition of Ni⁰ or another Ni-catalyst compound on the titania surface. Rather, in-situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) clearly indicates that the activation is due to a light-induced formation of a suitable defect structure (Ti³⁺-OV) on grey titania, combined with the formation of an intermediate monovalent nickel (Ni(I)) electron transfer relay. Remarkably, the resulting Ni⁺/TiO2/Ti³⁺ photocatalyst operates in absence of any noble metal or sacrificial agent.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Palacky University Olomouc / Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci Czech Republic (CZ)

How to cite

APA:

Qin, S., Badura, Z., Denisov, N., Tomanec, O., Mohajernia, S., Liu, N.,... Schmuki, P. (2021). Self-assembly of a Ni(I)-photocatalyst for plain water splitting without sacrificial agents. Electrochemistry Communications, 122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2020.106909

MLA:

Qin, Shanshan, et al. "Self-assembly of a Ni(I)-photocatalyst for plain water splitting without sacrificial agents." Electrochemistry Communications 122 (2021).

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