Non-noble metal Co as active sites on TiO2 nanorod for promoting photocatalytic H2 production

Non-noble metal Co was decorated on TiO2 nanorod by a photodeposition method to improve photocatalytic H-2 production. Co particles with ca. 7 nm diameter dispersed well onto the TiO2 nanorods. Photocatalytic H-2 production performance of Co/TiO2 was tested and the results showed that the photocatalytic activity was promoted by Co loading. The H-2 evolution rate of 2.0 wt% Co/TiO2 (839.8 mu mol.h(-1)) is 8.9 times of that of bare TiO2 (95 mol.h(-1)), reaching 77.8% of that of 1.0 wt% Pt/TiO2 (1080 mu mol.h-1). Photoelectrochemical and PL measurements indicated that, like Pt cocatalyst, the loading of Co particles reduces the overpotential of H-2 evolution as well as facilitates the transfer of photoinduced electrons from TiO2 to Co cocatalyst, thus improving the photocatalytic H-2 evolution activity. The study not only provides a way to cut the cost of photocatalysts but gives an in-depth understanding of the effect of cocatalysts on enhancing photocatalytic H-2 evolution activity.