TiO2 nanotubes coupled with nano-Cu(OH)2 for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Haifeng Dang; Xinfa Dong; Yingchao Dong; Yan Zhang; Stuart Hampshire

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.135

TiO₂ nanotubes coupled with nano-Cu(OH)₂ for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Haifeng Dang
, Xinfa Dong
, Yingchao Dong
, Yan Zhang
, Stuart Hampshire

Retired Staff

South China University of Technology
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Noble-metal-free Cu(OH)₂/TNTs (TNTs: TiO₂ nanotubes) nanocomposite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by loading nano-Cu(OH)₂ on TNTs via a hydrothermal-precipitation process. These were then characterized in terms of morphology and physicochemical properties by employing TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, UV-Vis DRS and PL. The effects of Cu(OH) ₂ loading, amount of catalyst on the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of Cu(OH)₂/TNTs were investigated in detail in aqueous methanol solution under UV irradiation. The results show that, compared with pure TNTs, the TNTs loaded with highly dispersed 8 wt% Cu(OH)₂ exhibited remarkably improved activity for hydrogen production (the largest quantity of evolved hydrogen was ca. 14.94 μmol h^-1 g^-1 catalyst) with good photostability. This high activity is attributed to the strong synergistic function of Cu(OH)₂/TNTs, including suitable potential of Cu(OH)₂/Cu (E⁰ = -0.222 V) between conduction band (-0.260 V) of TNTs and the reduction potential of H⁺/H ₂ (E⁰ = 0.000 V), a unique tubular microstructure of TNTs coated with nano-Cu(OH)₂, large BET specific surface area and high dispersion of Cu(OH)₂. Furthermore, a process mechanism for methanol/water decomposition over Cu(OH)₂/TNTs is proposed to understand its high activity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2126-2135
Number of pages	10
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	38
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.135
Publication status	Published - 19 Feb 2013

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Hydrogen production
Photocatalysis

Access to Document

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.135

Cite this

@article{4ef7adcf7928404eb550263a562eb713,

title = "TiO2 nanotubes coupled with nano-Cu(OH)2 for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production",

abstract = "Noble-metal-free Cu(OH)2/TNTs (TNTs: TiO2 nanotubes) nanocomposite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by loading nano-Cu(OH)2 on TNTs via a hydrothermal-precipitation process. These were then characterized in terms of morphology and physicochemical properties by employing TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, UV-Vis DRS and PL. The effects of Cu(OH) 2 loading, amount of catalyst on the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of Cu(OH)2/TNTs were investigated in detail in aqueous methanol solution under UV irradiation. The results show that, compared with pure TNTs, the TNTs loaded with highly dispersed 8 wt\% Cu(OH)2 exhibited remarkably improved activity for hydrogen production (the largest quantity of evolved hydrogen was ca. 14.94 μmol h-1 g-1 catalyst) with good photostability. This high activity is attributed to the strong synergistic function of Cu(OH)2/TNTs, including suitable potential of Cu(OH)2/Cu (E0 = -0.222 V) between conduction band (-0.260 V) of TNTs and the reduction potential of H+/H 2 (E0 = 0.000 V), a unique tubular microstructure of TNTs coated with nano-Cu(OH)2, large BET specific surface area and high dispersion of Cu(OH)2. Furthermore, a process mechanism for methanol/water decomposition over Cu(OH)2/TNTs is proposed to understand its high activity.",

keywords = "Hydrogen production, Photocatalysis",

author = "Haifeng Dang and Xinfa Dong and Yingchao Dong and Yan Zhang and Stuart Hampshire",

year = "2013",

month = feb,

day = "19",

doi = "10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.11.135",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

pages = "2126--2135",

journal = "International Journal of Hydrogen Energy",

issn = "0360-3199",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - TiO2 nanotubes coupled with nano-Cu(OH)2 for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

AU - Dang, Haifeng

AU - Dong, Xinfa

AU - Dong, Yingchao

AU - Zhang, Yan

AU - Hampshire, Stuart

PY - 2013/2/19

Y1 - 2013/2/19

N2 - Noble-metal-free Cu(OH)2/TNTs (TNTs: TiO2 nanotubes) nanocomposite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by loading nano-Cu(OH)2 on TNTs via a hydrothermal-precipitation process. These were then characterized in terms of morphology and physicochemical properties by employing TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, UV-Vis DRS and PL. The effects of Cu(OH) 2 loading, amount of catalyst on the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of Cu(OH)2/TNTs were investigated in detail in aqueous methanol solution under UV irradiation. The results show that, compared with pure TNTs, the TNTs loaded with highly dispersed 8 wt% Cu(OH)2 exhibited remarkably improved activity for hydrogen production (the largest quantity of evolved hydrogen was ca. 14.94 μmol h-1 g-1 catalyst) with good photostability. This high activity is attributed to the strong synergistic function of Cu(OH)2/TNTs, including suitable potential of Cu(OH)2/Cu (E0 = -0.222 V) between conduction band (-0.260 V) of TNTs and the reduction potential of H+/H 2 (E0 = 0.000 V), a unique tubular microstructure of TNTs coated with nano-Cu(OH)2, large BET specific surface area and high dispersion of Cu(OH)2. Furthermore, a process mechanism for methanol/water decomposition over Cu(OH)2/TNTs is proposed to understand its high activity.

AB - Noble-metal-free Cu(OH)2/TNTs (TNTs: TiO2 nanotubes) nanocomposite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by loading nano-Cu(OH)2 on TNTs via a hydrothermal-precipitation process. These were then characterized in terms of morphology and physicochemical properties by employing TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, UV-Vis DRS and PL. The effects of Cu(OH) 2 loading, amount of catalyst on the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of Cu(OH)2/TNTs were investigated in detail in aqueous methanol solution under UV irradiation. The results show that, compared with pure TNTs, the TNTs loaded with highly dispersed 8 wt% Cu(OH)2 exhibited remarkably improved activity for hydrogen production (the largest quantity of evolved hydrogen was ca. 14.94 μmol h-1 g-1 catalyst) with good photostability. This high activity is attributed to the strong synergistic function of Cu(OH)2/TNTs, including suitable potential of Cu(OH)2/Cu (E0 = -0.222 V) between conduction band (-0.260 V) of TNTs and the reduction potential of H+/H 2 (E0 = 0.000 V), a unique tubular microstructure of TNTs coated with nano-Cu(OH)2, large BET specific surface area and high dispersion of Cu(OH)2. Furthermore, a process mechanism for methanol/water decomposition over Cu(OH)2/TNTs is proposed to understand its high activity.

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KW - Photocatalysis

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