Photocatalytic generation of hydrogen with visible-light nitrogen-doped lanthanum titanium oxides

In order to generate hydrogen by splitting water under visible-light irradiation, nitrogen-doped La2Ti2O7 (LTO) nanosheets loaded with the Pt nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal processing, followed with wet impregnation and subsequent heat treatment in a NH3 flow. The light absorption of the pristine LTO nanosheets is cut off at 330 nm while the N-doped LTO nanosheets exhibit the extended light absorption up to 560 nm. Nitrogen doping has not only resulted in the visible-light-responsive photocatalytic water splitting but also enhanced the ultraviolet-light-responsive photocatalytic activity. Loading the Pt nanoparticles on the LTO surface further improved the photocatalytic activity due to the enhanced separation of charge carriers. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.