Hydrogen evolution from water using semiconductor nanoparticle/graphene composite photocatalysts without noble metals
- 28 November 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in Journal of Materials Chemistry
- Vol. 22 (4), 1539-1546
- https://doi.org/10.1039/c1jm14502a
Abstract
Semiconductor nanoparticle/graphene composite photocatalysts containing semiconductor CdS or TiO2 nanoparticles are fabricated by one-pot solution methods and their structures are characterized. The photocatalytic hydrogen-generating capabilities of the composite photocatalysts are investigated in the presence of sacrificial reagent and compared with those of the same semiconductor materials with platinum as a co-catalyst under the same conditions. The results obtained by the measurements of time-resolved emission spectra, photocurrent generated response and electrochemical impedance spectra revealed that graphene attached to semiconductor surfaces can efficiently accept and transport electrons from the excited semiconductor, suppressing charge recombination and improving interfacial charge transfer processes. The semiconductor nanoparticle/graphene photocatalysts displayed higher activity for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, which can be compared with the hydrogen-generating efficiency of systems containing the well-known Pt co-catalyst. This work provides an inexpensive means of harnessing solar energy to achieve highly efficient hydrogen evolution without noble metals.Keywords
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