Monodisperse spherical sandwiched core-shell structured SiO2AuTa2O5 and SiO2AuTa3N5 composites as visible-light plasmonic photocatalysts. (8th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Xiaoming; Feng, Jingchun; Wu, Binquan; Li, Yizu; Xie, Weijie; Lin, Jun; Zheng, Xia; Luo, Xubiao; Al Kheraif, Abdulaziz A.
• Is Part Of: International journal of hydrogen energy. Volume 43:Number 45(2018)
• Page Start: 20546
• Page End: 20562
• Publication Date: 2018-11-08
• Subjects: Plasmonic photocatalyst -- Hydrogen production -- SiO2AuTa2O5 (Ta3N5) composites; Hydrogen as fuel -- Periodicals; Hydrogène (Combustible) -- Périodiques; Hydrogen as fuel; Periodicals; 665.81
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.09.052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-3199

Abstract

Abstract: Au nanoparticles and fine Ta2 O5 nanocrystallines were deposited on nonaggregated, spherical, monodisperse SiO2 micorspheres to form a kind of sandwiched core-shell structured SiO2 AuTa2 O5 composite plasmonic photocatalyst by an in-situ reduction process integrated with a sol-gel process. The prepared SiO2 AuTa2 O5 composite plasmonic photocatalyst was nitrided in ammonia flow at an appropriate temperature to obtain SiO2 AuTa3 N5 composite plasmonic photocatalyst. Benefitting from Au nanoparticles' surface plasmon resonance effect, the obtained SiO2 AuTa2 O5 composite plasmonic photocatalyst presents a novel photochemical activity of H2 production from H2 O with visible light response, and the prepared SiO2 AuTa3 N5 composite plasmonic photocatalyst exhibits a higher photochemical activity of H2 production from H2 O with visible light response than that of blank Ta3 N5 nanocrystalline. Furthermore, the excellent morphologies of SiO2 AuTa2 O5 and SiO2 AuTa3 N5 composites, e.g., sandwiched core-shell structure, monodisperse, and spherical, drastically improve their dispersion in solution, light harvesting, charge separation and transportation, which might do some contributions to improve their photocatalytic activities accordingly. This investigation might set a good example for designing highly efficient plasmonic photocatalysts for photochemical solar H2 production with visible light response. Graphical abstract: Benefitting from the surface plasmon resonance effect, the monodisperse, submicron spherical and sandwiched core-shell structure SiO2 AuTa2 O5 and SiO2 AuTa3 N5 plasmonic photocatalysts show a novel photocatalytic activity and a significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from water with visible light response, respectively. Highlights: The SiO2 template-synthesis individualizes composites with excellent morphologies. The excellent morphologies improve the photocatalytic efficiency of composites. The SPR effect of Nano Au updates the photocatalytic efficiency of composites.