Issue 2, 2016

The mechanism and material aspects of a novel Ag2O/TiO2 photocatalyst active in infrared radiation for water splitting

Abstract

The Ag2O/TiO2 catalyst produces hydrogen with water and water/methanol mixture upon irradiation with IR light. In this report, the material aspects and photocatalytic mechanism of an IR-active Ag2O/TiO2 photocatalyst for water splitting reaction were investigated. The Ag2O/TiO2 catalyst contained 28% silver and 72% titanium by w/w and the XPS and XRD results revealed the presence of Ag2O (Ag+), Ag0, TiO2 (Ti4+) and Ti3+ states in the Ag2O/TiO2 catalyst. A solid proof of the IR photon-initiated catalytic activity of the Ag2O/TiO2 catalyst was observed from the clear and enhanced IR response in the incident photon current conversion efficiency measurements of the Ag2O/TiO2 catalyst. Comparing the band gap energies to the energy of the IR source, plasmon-assisted photocatalytic activity and/or sub-band gap phonon-assisted multi-photon excitation mechanisms are proposed for the observed infrared photocatalytic activity of the Ag2O/TiO2 photocatalyst and the functions of Ag2O and TiO2 in “dark photocatalysis” are discussed.

Graphical abstract: The mechanism and material aspects of a novel Ag2O/TiO2 photocatalyst active in infrared radiation for water splitting

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Maw 2015
Accepted
27 Maw 2015
First published
07 Mha 2015

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2016,6, 479-487

Author version available

The mechanism and material aspects of a novel Ag2O/TiO2 photocatalyst active in infrared radiation for water splitting

A. Gannoruwa, B. Ariyasinghe and J. Bandara, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2016, 6, 479 DOI: 10.1039/C5CY01002K

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