High photocatalytic hydrogen production on Cu(II) pre-grafted Pt/TiO 2

摘要: Abstract A series of Pt/Cu/TiO 2 photocatalysts, showing very high performance in photocatalytic hydrogen production from methanol/water vapour mixtures, were prepared under mild conditions by Cu(II) grafting on commercial P25 TiO , with nominal Cu/TiO ratios ranging 0.05 to 0.5 wt.%, followed 0.5 wt.% Pt nanoparticles deposition the deposition-precipitation method presence urea. The structural features so obtained materials fully characterized X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which provided information oxidation state two metals and metal–metal metal-TiO interactions, EPR analysis, evidenced electron transfer phenomena involving copper irradiation. photocatalysts showed a volcano-shaped photoactivity trend increasing Cu content, maximum rate H evolution (27.2 mmol h −1  g cat ) being attained photocatalyst containing 0.1 wt.% copper. In this sample CuO nanoclusters appear be intimately coordinated surface Ti atoms structure that partially stabilizes pre-grafted metallic form, possibly acting as an electron-transfer bridge at interface between . Synergistic effects are clearly induced co-presence grafted surface, switching UV–vis irradiation, facilitating adsorbed protons.