CNT-TiO2−δ Composites for Improved Co-Catalyst Dispersion and Stabilized Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Catalysts

Peirong Chen³  Lidong Wang¹  Ping Wang³  Aleksander Kostka²  Michael Wark³  Martin Muhler³  Radim Beranek¹ 

[1] Inorganic Chemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; E-Mail:;Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany; E-Mail:;Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany; E-Mails:

关键词: carbon nanotubes;    TiO₂;    oxygen deficiency;    photocatalytic hydrogen production;    platinum co-catalyst;    stability;   

DOI  :  10.3390/catal5010270

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Composites consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown directly on oxygen-deficient anatase TiO₂ (TiO_2−δ) were synthesized by a two-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and applied in photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solutions using photodeposited Pt as the co-catalyst. Thermogravimetry coupled with mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photocurrent analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and (scanning) transmission electron microscopy were performed to investigate the physical and (photo)chemical properties of the synthesized CNT-TiO_2−δ composites before and after photocatalytic methanol reforming. The initial photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ was found to be significantly improved in the presence of oxygen vacancies. An optimized amount (~7.2 wt%) of CNTs grown on the TiO_2−δ surface led to a highly effective stabilization of the photocatalytic performance of TiO_2−δ, which is attributed to the improved dispersion and stability of the photodeposited Pt co-catalyst nanoparticles and enhanced separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, rendering the photocatalysts less prone to deactivation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.