Solar-driven Z-scheme water splitting using tantalum/nitrogen co-doped rutile titania nanorod as an oxygen evolution photocatalyst. Issue 23 (27th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nakada, Akinobu; Nishioka, Shunta; Vequizo, Junie Jhon M.; Muraoka, Kanemichi; Kanazawa, Tomoki; Yamakata, Akira; Nozawa, Shunsuke; Kumagai, Hiromu; Adachi, Shin-ichi; Ishitani, Osamu; Maeda, Kazuhiko
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 5:Issue 23(2017)
• Page Start: 11710
• Page End: 11719
• Publication Date: 2017-01-27
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ta10541f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : Tantalum and nitrogen co-doped rutile TiO2 nanorods were developed as a visible-light-active water oxidation photocatalyst for solar-driven Z-scheme water splitting. Abstract : A visible-light-driven water-splitting system that involves two-step photoexcitation (Z-scheme) was constructed using rutile TiO2 nanorod doped with Ta and N (TiO2 :Ta/N) as an O2 evolution photocatalyst. The Ta-doped TiO2 nanorods, prepared by a solvothermal synthesis, underwent nitridation to possess visible-light absorption under mild conditions, even at 623 K under an ammonia flow. The TiO2 :Ta/N powders modified with a RuO2 cocatalyst were active under visible light up to 540 nm for water oxidation for producing O2 in the presence of reversible electron acceptors (IO3 − or Fe 3+ ), while TiO2 :N exhibited negligible activity. The results of time-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy indicated that co-doping Ta with N into TiO2 prolonged the lifetime of photogenerated free electrons, leading to high photocatalytic activity. Simultaneous H2 and O2 evolution via water splitting was achieved using a combination of RuO2 -modified TiO2 :Ta/N, Ru-loaded SrTiO3 :Rh and an Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox couple under visible-light irradiation ( λ > 420 nm) and under AM 1.5G simulated sunlight.