Boosting the photocatalytic hydrogen production of TiO2 by using copper hexacyanocobaltate as co-catalyst
| Autor: | Rodolfo Zanella, Agileo Hernández Gordillo, Próspero Acevedo Peña, Diana Guerrero Araque, Edilso Reguera, David Ramírez Ortega |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Materials science
Renewable Energy Sustainability and the Environment Composite number Energy Engineering and Power Technology chemistry.chemical_element 02 engineering and technology 010402 general chemistry 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Condensed Matter Physics 01 natural sciences Copper 0104 chemical sciences Catalysis Metal Fuel Technology Chemical engineering chemistry visual_art visual_art.visual_art_medium Photocatalysis Leaching (metallurgy) 0210 nano-technology Cobalt Hydrogen production |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 46:10312-10323 |
| ISSN: | 0360-3199 |
| Popis: | The development of cheap and efficient co-catalysts is crucial to improve the performance of well-known photocatalysts towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. Here, copper hexacyanocobaltate was evaluated for the first time as a potential candidate to be used as co-catalyst coupled with conventional TiO2. Copper hexacyanocobaltate was formed by chemical precipitation in the presence of TiO2, without needing further treatments. The composite exhibited paramount performance towards hydrogen generation, surpassing by up to 16 times the behavior reached with bare TiO2. This composite also overcome the performance of conventional TiO2 modified with copper and cobalt oxides derived from copper hexacyanocobaltate. The enhanced behavior of TiO2/Cu3[Co(CN)6]2 composite was promoted by the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carries, and the faster charge transfer from photocatalyst towards species in solution, as it was proved by the photoelectrochemical characterization of the materials. Furthermore, the composite experienced a slight detriment (15%) in its hydrogen production rate after four consecutive photocatalyst tests. This variation was attributed to the slow leaching of copper in the co-catalyst caused by its partial transformation into metal hydroxides, as it was suggested by the ex-situ XPS characterization. Nevertheless, the structural characterization evinced the presence of the Cu3[Co(CN)6]2 in the composite after long-term use. This study should be considered a proof of concept on a reliable route to obtain appropriate composites for hydrogen production using light as primary energy source. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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