A novel metal/semiconductor photocatalyst,Cu nanoparticles(NPs)modified TiO2 hollow spheres(Cu/TiO2),was designed for efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting(POWS)under both ultraviolet(UV)and visible(Vis)lig...A novel metal/semiconductor photocatalyst,Cu nanoparticles(NPs)modified TiO2 hollow spheres(Cu/TiO2),was designed for efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting(POWS)under both ultraviolet(UV)and visible(Vis)light.This Cu/TiO2 photocatalyst possesses excellent POWS performance under Vis light at the highest level among the reported TiO2-based photocatalysts.Interestingly,the metal/semiconductor junction formed between Cu and TiO2 enables controlled water-oxidation product selectivity(H2O2 or O2)via different reaction pathways regulated by irradiation wavelengths.Under UV light,the electrons excited in TiO2 are captured by Cu NPs through the Cu/TiO2 Schottky interface for H2 production,with the photoholes in TiO2 producing H2O2 through a two-electron process;whilst under Vis light,Cu NPs act as plasmon to inject hot electrons to TiO2 for H2 production,while O2 is produced by hot holes on Cu NPs via a four-electron process.This rational design of function-switchable metal/semiconductor junction may be helpful to understand the mechanisms for POWS with desired gas/liquid water-oxidation products.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51672210 and 21875183)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFE0193900)+2 种基金National Program for Support of Top-notch Young ProfessionalsFundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China(2018JQ2028)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2018M640981)。
文摘A novel metal/semiconductor photocatalyst,Cu nanoparticles(NPs)modified TiO2 hollow spheres(Cu/TiO2),was designed for efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting(POWS)under both ultraviolet(UV)and visible(Vis)light.This Cu/TiO2 photocatalyst possesses excellent POWS performance under Vis light at the highest level among the reported TiO2-based photocatalysts.Interestingly,the metal/semiconductor junction formed between Cu and TiO2 enables controlled water-oxidation product selectivity(H2O2 or O2)via different reaction pathways regulated by irradiation wavelengths.Under UV light,the electrons excited in TiO2 are captured by Cu NPs through the Cu/TiO2 Schottky interface for H2 production,with the photoholes in TiO2 producing H2O2 through a two-electron process;whilst under Vis light,Cu NPs act as plasmon to inject hot electrons to TiO2 for H2 production,while O2 is produced by hot holes on Cu NPs via a four-electron process.This rational design of function-switchable metal/semiconductor junction may be helpful to understand the mechanisms for POWS with desired gas/liquid water-oxidation products.
