Enhancing the photo-driven seawater splitting performance of hierarchical TiO2 through rich surface hydroxyl and oxygen vacancy design

Abstract

Hierarchical TiO₂ nanofibers with enriched surface hydroxyl groups and oxygen vacancies have been synthesized. An assessment of their photocatalytic properties shows that the new catalyst has high stability and exhibits excellent photocatalytic H₂ production performance in seawater. The enhanced activity of the catalyst is a consequence of the elevation in the rates of charge transfer and H⁺ adsorption by the synergistic effects of surface hydroxyls and oxygen vacancies.