Critical factors for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic H-2 evolution from gray anatase (001) nanosheets

Qin S, Denisov N, Zhou X, Zdražil L, Fehn D, Hwang I, Bruns M, Kim H, Meyer K, Schmuki P (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

JPhys Energy Institute of Physics (IOP)

Book Volume: 4

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.1088/2515-7655/ac8ed3

Abstract

In recent years, the defect engineering of titania via reduction treatments has shown a high potential for enabling efficient and co-catalyst-free photocatalytic H-2 generation from methanol/water solutions. However, defect engineering simultaneously alters several properties of TiO2. Here, we use pristine (white) and hydrogenated (gray) anatase nanosheets with dominant (001) facets. By comparing electrical conductivity, photocurrent spectra, transient photocurrent response, and photocatalytic H-2 evolution, we show that the increased conductivity or broad visible light absorption of gray titania is not responsible for its increased activity. Instead, the true bottleneck is the hole transfer rate that is significantly accelerated while using gray instead of white modification. Moreover, the hole transfer reaction causes the accumulation of the reaction products in pure water, hindering the photocatalytic H-2 evolution over time. These combined factors explain the superior performance of gray titania over white titania in photoelectrochemical or photocatalytic water splitting.

Authors with CRIS profile

Shanshan Qin Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Nikita Denisov Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Xin Zhou Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Dominik Fehn Lehrstuhl für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie Imgon Hwang Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Mark Bruns Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Hyesung Kim Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik) Karsten Meyer Lehrstuhl für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie Patrik Schmuki Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Korrosion und Oberflächentechnik)

Involved external institutions

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

How to cite

APA:

Qin, S., Denisov, N., Zhou, X., Zdražil, L., Fehn, D., Hwang, I.,... Schmuki, P. (2022). Critical factors for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic H-2 evolution from gray anatase (001) nanosheets. JPhys Energy, 4(4). https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ac8ed3

MLA:

Qin, Shanshan, et al. "Critical factors for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic H-2 evolution from gray anatase (001) nanosheets." JPhys Energy 4.4 (2022).

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