Plasmon Coupling-Induced Hot Electrons for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

We present the fabrication of core-shell-satellite Au@SiO₂-Pt nanostructures and demonstrate that LSPR excitation of the core Au nanoparticle can induce plasmon coupling effect to initiate photocatalytic hydrogen generation from decomposition of formic acid. Further studies suggest that the plasmon coupling effect induces a strong local electric field between the Au core and Pt nanoparticles on the SiO₂ shell, which enables creation of hot electrons on the non-plasmonic-active Pt nanoparticles to participate hydrogen evolution reaction on the Pt surface. In addition, small SiO₂ shell thickness is required in order to obtain a strong plamon coupling effect and achieve efficient photocatalytic activities for hydrogen generation.     

从废水到新能源:光催化燃料电池的优化与应用

随着经济的飞速发展,社会对能源的需求日益扩大,对工业废水的无害化处理也提出了更高的要求。光催化燃料电池 (photocatalytic fuel cell, PFC) 在燃料电池中引入半导体光催化材料作为电极,实现了有机污染物高效降解和同步对外产电的双重功能,在废水无害化与资源化利用方面具有潜在的应用价值。半导体光催化电极是PFC系统高效运行的核心组件,增强其可见光响应和光生载流子分离是提高PFC性能的关键策略。反应器结构设计和运行参数优化也有利于改善PFC性能。本文从PFC基本原理和应用入手,综述了PFC在环境污染物资源化处理中的研究进展,并详细阐述了提高PFC的污染控制性能和产电效率的优化手段,为进一步设计高效稳定的PFC系统并实现其在水污染控制和清洁能源生产中的应用提供理论指导。     

Preparation and characterization of nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalyst in different acid environments

Nitrogen-doped TiO₂ powders were successfully prepared by a wet method, i.e., a micro-emulsion-hydrothermal method, in different acid environments. Several characterization techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra, were combined to determine the crystal phase, concentration and chemical states of the nitrogen doped in TiO₂. The high photocatalytic activity of the nitrogen-doped TiO₂ was evaluated through the decomposition of rhodanmine B under visible light irradiation. It was suggested that the doped nitrogen formed oxynitride (NO) and produced impurity states at higher above the valence band of TiO₂. Therefore, the nitrogen doping could enhance the response of photocatalyst to the visible light and improve the photocatalytic activity because of the narrowing of band gap of TiO₂.     

Evaluation of Photocatalytic Activity of Transparent Anatase Nanocrystals-Dispersed Silica Films Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process with Hot Water Treatment

Anatase nanocrystals were precipitated mainly at the surface of the silica-titania gel films with hot water treatment, whereas the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the films led to the dispersion of anatase nanocrystals in the whole of the films after the treatment. Both films with and without PEG showed high photocatalytic activities for acetaldehyde, NO _x and stearic acid in the gas-solid system, and for methylene blue and potassium iodide in the liquid-solid system. The addition of PEG improved the photocatalytic activities of the resultant films due to the smaller anatase crystallites and the porous film structure. The residual silica under-layer of the superficially anatase-precipitated films is expected to act as a protective one for an organic polymer substrate against the photocatalytic degradation.     

TiO2光催化反应及其在环境保护中的应用

本文简要介绍了TiO2光催化剂的作用机理，讨论了影响TiO2光催化效率的因素及解决途径，综述了光催化在环境保护中的最新应用。     

Photocatalytic Properties of Titanium Dioxide Heterostructures with Cyanine Dyes and Polyepoxy Propylcarbazole

We have obtained novel photosensitive materials containing a semiconductor photocatalyst and a dye sensitizer. We have studied the activity of the latter in the reaction of photoreduction of methylene blue, and we consider possible mechanisms for the photocatalytic effect.     

Photocatalytic Oxidation of Aniline in the Gas Phase Using Porous TiO2 Thin Films

The gas-phase photocatalytic oxidation of aniline on a new kind of porous nano-TiO₂ composite films is investigated. The composite film was prepared on glass fiber with the water glass as binders and dilute H₂SO₄ solution as solidifying reagent. The surface characters were observed by scanning electron microscope. The photocatalytic degradation of aniline on the composite films was carried out in a TiO₂/UV system. Some important factors affecting the photodegradation, such as the concentration of TiO₂, the initial concentration of aniline, and the existing water vapor, are also studied. The product of photocatalytic oxidation was detected by Fourier transform-Infrared. The partial intermediate products were absorbed on TiO₂ surface, which resulted in catalyst deactivation. But when it was irradiated under UV illumination or solar irradiation for some time, the catalyst could be reused without loss of catalytic activity. Translated from the Journal of Wuhan University (Natural Science Edition), 2005, 51(2) (in Chinese)     

纳米TiO2膜用于光催化氧化测定化学需氧量的研究

A photocatalytic oxidation method for determination of chemical oxygen demand （COD） using nano-TiO2 film, based on the use of a nano-TiO2-Ce（SO4）2 system and electrochemical detection, was proposed. The technique was originated from the direct determination of the Ce（Ⅲ） concentration change resulting from photocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds. Ce（Ⅲ）, which was produced by photocatalytic reduction of Ce（SO4）2, could be measured at a multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWNT） chemically modified electrode （CME）. The COD values by this method were calculated from the differential pulse voltammetry （DPV） current of Ce（Ⅲ） at the CME. Under the optimal operation conditions, the detection limit of 0.5 mg·L^-1 COD with the linear range of 1-600 mg·L^-1 was achieved. This method was also applied to determination of various COD of ground water and wastewater samples. The resuits were in good agreement with those from the conventional COD methods, i.e., permanganate and dichromate ones.     

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation

Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ composite nanoparticles with different doping amounts were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultravioletvisible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was used as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ nanoparticles under visible light irradiation. The influence of doping amount of Fe³⁺ (ω: 0.00%–3.00%) on photocatalytic activities of TiO₂ was investigated. Results show that the size of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ particles decreases with the increase of the amount of Fe³⁺ and their absorption spectra are broaden and absorption intensities are also increased. Doping Fe³⁺ can control the conversion of TiO₂ from anatase to rutile. The doping amount of Fe³⁺ remarkably affects the activity of the catalyst, and the optimum efficiency occurs at about the doping amount of 0.3%. The appropriate doping of Fe³⁺ can markedly increase the catalytic activity of TiO₂ under visible light irradiation. __________ Translated from Journal of Northwest Normal University (Natural Science), 2006, 42(6): 55–56 [译自: 西北师范大学学报(自然科学版)]     

Carbon dioxide reduction under visible light: a comparison of cadmium sulfide and titania photocatalysts

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