Issue 6, 2016

Synthesis of MOF templated Cu/CuO@TiO2 nanocomposites for synergistic hydrogen production

Abstract

A copper metal–organic framework (Cu-MOF) provides access to Cu/CuO@TiO2 hybrid nanocomposites with highly dispersive copper species adsorbed on a TiO2 semiconducting system. This novel nanostructure exhibits efficient hydrogen evolution performance under solar illumination of intensity ∼1 Sun. The rate of H2 production was systematically optimized under different operational parameters. Experimental observation reveals that mesoporous Cu/CuO@TiO2 nanocomposite with 0.5 wt% Cu loading showed the highest rate of H2 production (286 mmol g−1 h−1), which is considerably higher than that of CuO loaded TiO2 prepared using a conventional impregnation method. This high photocatalytic H2 production activity is attributed predominantly to the presence of surface deposited Cu0 species and the small size of the heterojunction (1–2 nm) between CuO and TiO2, which facilitate interfacial charge carrier transfer from the TiO2 nanoparticles. The catalyst showed good recyclability under prolonged exposure (30 h) to solar irradiation. Unlike many Pt decorated TiO2 photocatalysts, this hybrid photocatalyst provides an inexpensive means of harnessing solar energy.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis of MOF templated Cu/CuO@TiO2 nanocomposites for synergistic hydrogen production

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 okt 2015
Accepted
31 dec 2015
First published
06 jan 2016

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016,18, 4780-4788

Author version available

Synthesis of MOF templated Cu/CuO@TiO2 nanocomposites for synergistic hydrogen production

I. Mondal and U. Pal, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 4780 DOI: 10.1039/C5CP06292F

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