Black strontium titanate nanocrystals of enhanced solar absorption for photocatalysis. Issue 39 (10th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Wenli; Zhao, Wei; Zhu, Guilian; Lin, Tianquan; Xu, Fangfang; Huang, Fuqiang
• Is Part Of: CrystEngComm. Volume 17:Issue 39(2015)
• Page Start: 7528
• Page End: 7534
• Publication Date: 2015-09-10
• Subjects: Crystals -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Crystallography -- Periodicals; Cristaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Cristallographie -- Périodiques; 548
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ce01263e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-8033

Abstract

Abstract : Black SrTiO3 nanocrystals with enhanced visible-light and even IR absorption have been successfully synthesized by aluminum reduction. Abstract : Black titania has attracted enormous attention due to its enhanced photocatalytic activity via increased solar absorption, but few studies extended the investigations to other wide band-gap titanates. Herein, strontium titanate (SrTiO3 ), a typical ternary titanate with more potential in photocatalysis, is selected as the target material. Black SrTiO3 nanocrystals were obtained by molten aluminum reduction of solution-processed pristine SrTiO3 in a two-zone furnace. Different from the black titania, black SrTiO3 nanocrystals are well-crystallized and have no core–shell structure. Substantial Ti 3+ cations and oxygen vacancies are introduced into SrTiO3 after aluminum reduction, which results in enhanced absorption in both visible and near-infrared regions, and improved charge separation and transport. The photocatalytic hydrogen-generation and photoelectrochemical investigations demonstrate that black SrTiO3 exhibits an impressive improvement (2.5 times and 2.4 times at 1.23 VRHE, respectively) compared with white SrTiO3 .