Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of novel CeO2 loaded porous alkali-activated steel slag-based binding material

In the present study, CeO2 loaded porous alkali-activated steel slag-based photocatalyst (CeO2-PASSP) as a new catalyst for photocatalytic water-splitting of hydrogen production was prepared via impregnation method. The BET result showed that adding pore-forming agent changed the pore structure of the alkali-activated steel slag-based binding material and the mesoporous volume of photocatalyst carrier increased by 70%. The XRD, TEM and HRTEM results indicated that calcium silicate hydrate was mainly mineral phase in the alkali-activated steel slag-based binding material. CeO2 nanoparticles with particle size about 10 nm were highly dispersed on the surface of photocatalyst carrier. The photo catalyst loaded 8 wt% CeO2 showed the weakest photoluminescence intensity. 8CeO(2)-PASS sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic hydrogen production activity (68.64 mmol/g) and hydrogen generation rate (13.73 mmol/(g.h)) in the simulated solar light irradiation for 5 h, and was quite stable after exposure to photocatalytic hydrogen production for a long time. The excellent activity of hydrogen production for 8CeO(2)-PASSP specimen was ascribed to the co-action of the high S-BET, large mesoporous volume and the active components of the CeO2 and FeO existed in photocatalyst carrier. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.