Issue 10, 2017

Water splitting using a three-dimensional plasmonic photoanode with titanium dioxide nano-tunnels

Abstract

In this study, we developed a three-dimensional plasmonic photoanode using titanium dioxide nano-tunnels (TNTs) loaded with gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) for water splitting, to enhance the reaction efficiency. We also optimized the procedure of loading Au-NPs on complex three-dimensional structures. We discuss the correlation between the plasmon-induced charge separation obtained from photoelectrochemical measurement and the morphology of Au-NPs observed by transmission electron microscopy. We have successfully deposited well-dispersed Au-NPs on the walls of TNTs using HAu(OH)4 as a precursor. The amount of Au-NPs on the TNTs was estimated to be approximately 15-fold larger than that on the thin film titanium dioxide substrate, and the particle size remained small. Photoelectrochemical water splitting was achieved by using a two-electrode system rather than a three-electrode system. Furthermore, stoichiometric water splitting was confirmed by estimating the amounts of the evolved H2 and O2 gases under visible light irradiation.

Graphical abstract: Water splitting using a three-dimensional plasmonic photoanode with titanium dioxide nano-tunnels

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 11 2016
Accepted
01 3 2017
First published
01 3 2017

Green Chem., 2017,19, 2398-2405

Water splitting using a three-dimensional plasmonic photoanode with titanium dioxide nano-tunnels

R. Takakura, T. Oshikiri, K. Ueno, X. Shi, T. Kondo, H. Masuda and H. Misawa, Green Chem., 2017, 19, 2398 DOI: 10.1039/C6GC03217F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements