Optical porous hollow-boxes assembled by SrSO4/TiO2/Pt nanoparticles for high performance of photocatalytic H2 evolution

Efficient solar light harvesting and photogenerated electron-hole separating are two key factors for high performance photocatalysts. Rational architecture design of photocatalysts could achieve superior photochemical reaction micro-cavities and suitable band structure of heterojunction could steer electron-hole separation and immigration. Herein, optical transparent SrSO4 nanoparticles are used to assemble SrSO4/TiO2/Pt hollow-boxes to form optical porous walls due to its large band gap, which can trap light in the hollow-box for efficient H-2 evolution both outside and inside the boxes. H-2 production in presence of methanol reaches to 10.5 mmol g(-1) h(-1), better than that of commercial P25/Pt. The novel structure has a synergistic effect for enhanced catalytic activity area, photoabsorption and vicinal charge separation among the semiconductor, metal and insulator through suitable band structures. This novel optical porous hollow-box structure and its specific material configuration brings in a new idea for developing highly efficient photocatalyst for H-2 evolution.