表面反应在半导体光催化水分解过程中的重要性

On the Importance of Surface Reactions on Semiconductor Photocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting

利用光解水制氢将太阳能直接转化并储存为氢和氧的化学能是解决能源危机和环境污染的有效途径之一。光解水制氢过程中光生载流子在材料表面处发生的氧化还原反应尤为复杂,由于表面反应拥有较高的过电位以及缓慢的气体脱附速率而成为整个光解水过程中的速控步骤,因此得到了研究者的重点关注和研究。本文就催化剂表面反应过程调控的科学问题进行简要总结和展望。结合光催化水分解基本原理,(i)阐述了促进表面水分解反应速率的主要方法;(ii)介绍了表面助催化剂的作用和分类;(iii)讨论了材料表面态的钝化和保护层的包覆对表面水分解反应的影响。最后对光催化水分解表面反应研究的未来发展方向提出了若干设想。

One of the most appealing ways to resolve the worldwide energy crisis and environmental pollution is by converting solar energy into storable chemical energy as hydrogen through solar water splitting. The redox reactions of photogenerated charge carriers occurring on the surface of photocatalysts during the process of solar water splitting are particularly complex. Owing to the high reaction overpotentials and sluggish desorption kinetics of gas products, surface reaction is the rate-determining step in the solar water splitting process. Therefore, a great deal of attention has been focused on this specific research area. The recent advances and prospects for future directions regarding the importance of surface reactions for solar water splitting are presented. The main strategies to enhance the surface water splitting reaction kinetics are summarized. The roles and classifications of surface cocatalysts, as well as the effects of passivating the surface states and coating surface protective layers, are discussed by integrating the principles of photocatalysis. Prospects for the future development of surface reaction research are also proposed.