Journal
ACS CATALYSIS
Volume 4, Issue 5, Pages 1451-1457Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/cs5002948
Keywords
embedded gold; doped boron; hydrogen production; isotope tracer; reaction pathway
Categories
Funding
- Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award [DE120100329]
- Australian Research Council Discovery Project [DP140102432]
- Australian Research Council [DE120100329] Funding Source: Australian Research Council
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Gold-embedded boron-doped TiO2 (Au/B-TiO2) photocatalysts were synthesized by a sot gel hydrothermal method. The TEM images display that the gold nanoparticles were embedded into the B-TiO2 framework. Hydrogen evolution under light irradiation showed that doping of boron into TiO2 enhanced the photocatalytic activity. A further remarkable improvement (e 1 BCOH of the activity was observed over the Au/B-TiO2. Evidenced by B Is XPS and 0 Gold, 11B MAS NMR spectra, the embedment of Au nanoparticles contributes to the i,, 4, formation of more interstitial boron species in B-TiO2. In turn, it gives rise to surface or near-surface states facilitating the embedment of Au nanoparticles, as demonstrated by the Au 4f XPS spectra, which indicates the strong interaction between gold and the B-TiO2 framework. This specific synergy significantly contributes to the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. For the first time, the isotopic tracer studies using a gas chromatograph isotope ratio mass spectrometer along with a series of control experiments reveal that the produced hydrogen originated mainly from water rather than methanol, whereas the direct oxidation of methanol did not lead to hydrogen generation. Acting as a sacrificial reagent, methanol could be oxidized to formaldehyde by protons/water under oxygen-free conditions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available