Enhancement in photocatalytic oxygen evolution via water oxidation under visible light on nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanorods with dominant reactive {102} facets

The enhancement of O-2 evolution via the oxidation of water on {102} facet dominant nitrogen-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) nanorods is described. N-doped TiO2 nanosphere and nanorod were synthesized and subsequent NH3 treatment. 3 atomic% of nitrogen was incorporated into both anatase TiO2 nanocrystals. They show same band gap energies of 2.8 eV and similar lifetime of photo-exciton. The surface of N-doped TiO2 nanorod, however, presents much more dominant amount of {102} facets than that of nanosphere. The low overpotential of the {102} facets results in the selective generation of O-2 with the simultaneous suppression of the photocatalytic formation of center dot OH. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.