Issue 23, 2017

Solar-driven Z-scheme water splitting using tantalum/nitrogen co-doped rutile titania nanorod as an oxygen evolution photocatalyst

Abstract

A visible-light-driven water-splitting system that involves two-step photoexcitation (Z-scheme) was constructed using rutile TiO2 nanorod doped with Ta and N (TiO2:Ta/N) as an O2 evolution photocatalyst. The Ta-doped TiO2 nanorods, prepared by a solvothermal synthesis, underwent nitridation to possess visible-light absorption under mild conditions, even at 623 K under an ammonia flow. The TiO2:Ta/N powders modified with a RuO2 cocatalyst were active under visible light up to 540 nm for water oxidation for producing O2 in the presence of reversible electron acceptors (IO3 or Fe3+), while TiO2:N exhibited negligible activity. The results of time-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy indicated that co-doping Ta with N into TiO2 prolonged the lifetime of photogenerated free electrons, leading to high photocatalytic activity. Simultaneous H2 and O2 evolution via water splitting was achieved using a combination of RuO2-modified TiO2:Ta/N, Ru-loaded SrTiO3:Rh and an Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and under AM 1.5G simulated sunlight.

Graphical abstract: Solar-driven Z-scheme water splitting using tantalum/nitrogen co-doped rutile titania nanorod as an oxygen evolution photocatalyst

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Dec 2016
Accepted
06 Jan 2017
First published
09 Jan 2017

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017,5, 11710-11719

Solar-driven Z-scheme water splitting using tantalum/nitrogen co-doped rutile titania nanorod as an oxygen evolution photocatalyst

A. Nakada, S. Nishioka, J. J. M. Vequizo, K. Muraoka, T. Kanazawa, A. Yamakata, S. Nozawa, H. Kumagai, S. Adachi, O. Ishitani and K. Maeda, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017, 5, 11710 DOI: 10.1039/C6TA10541F

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