Issue 6, 2024

Z-scheme water splitting utilizing CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 as a hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst with photo-response up to 600 nm

Abstract

CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 (CLTO) is a visible-responsive photocatalyst, whose photo-response reaches up to 600 nm, for H2 evolution using sacrificial electron donors such as methanol and S2−. In this study, utilization of CLTO in Z-scheme water splitting (Z-WS) was investigated. The photocatalytic performance of Cr2O3/M/CLTO as a H2-evolving photocatalyst, which was prepared by sequential photodeposition of cocatalysts (M: Ru, Rh, Pd and Pt) and Cr2O3, was evaluated for Z-WS using BiVO4, an O2-evolving photocatalyst, and a Co(bpy)33+/2+ redox shuttle under visible light. Among the examined samples, Cr2O3/Ru/CLTO produced both H2 and O2 with meaningful rates. Thus, CLTO was first utilized in a visible responsive Z-scheme system for water splitting. The Cr2O3 layer played a significant role in the suppression of backward reactions, such as reduction of Co(bpy)33+. The activity of Cr2O3/Ru/CLTO for Z-WS was remarkably affected by the deposition conditions of the Ru cocatalyst. The activity for Z-WS was remarkably improved when the photodeposition of the Ru cocatalyst was conducted in a methanol solution of RuCl3. Unusually large plate Ru species with 100–200 nm sizes and about 30 nm thickness were present in the highly active sample. Characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated that the Ru cocatalyst was deposited as mainly the oxyhydroxide of Ru. Z-WS also proceeded in the absence of Co(bpy)33+/2+ (the system based on interparticle electron transfer), however, the Z-scheme system using the Co(bpy)33+/2+ electron shuttle showed 10 times higher activity than the interparticle electron transfer system. The external quantum yield and efficiency of solar energy conversion to hydrogen were determined to be 0.5% at 430 nm and 0.029%, respectively.

Graphical abstract: Z-scheme water splitting utilizing CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 as a hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst with photo-response up to 600 nm

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 12月 2023
Accepted
05 2月 2024
First published
05 2月 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024,8, 1260-1268

Z-scheme water splitting utilizing CuLi1/3Ti2/3O2 as a hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst with photo-response up to 600 nm

S. Yoshino, T. Kurutach, Q. Liu, T. Yamanaka, S. Nozawa, M. Kobayashi, H. Kumagai and H. Kato, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2024, 8, 1260 DOI: 10.1039/D3SE01622F

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