Au-loaded TiO2: A photocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen production with formic acid as a hole scavenger
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Abstract
Three methods successfully synthesized the TiO2 photocatalysts: sol-gel, solvothermal, and flame spray pyrolysis. Au was loaded onto the synthesized TiO2 photocatalysts via three methods: incipient impregnation, photo-deposition, and single-step doping. All synthesized TiO2 photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 physisorption, TEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, H2 chemisorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results pointed out that only sol-gel and solvothermal methods could provide the pure anatase-phase TiO2. The anatase-phase, mesoporous-agglomeration structure of nano-crystallite size particles, suitable pore diameter, and relatively high surface area of the solvothermal-synthesized TiO2 were the key properties that played important roles in maximizing its pristine-form photocatalytic activity in hydrogen production via photodegradation of formic acid under visible light irradiation. With Au loading by the photo-deposition method, the highest dispersion of Au on the TiO2 surface and an acceptably low recombination rate of electron-hole pairs were achieved, yielding the most desirable Au-loaded, solvothermal-synthesized TiO2 photocatalyst with the highest H2 production rate of ~6,000 mmolH2/h/gcat.
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