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Sub-10 nm rutile titanium dioxide nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production

Author

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  • Landong Li

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University)

  • Junqing Yan

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University)

  • Tuo Wang

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University)

  • Zhi-Jian Zhao

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University)

  • Jian Zhang

    (Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, Ningbo 315201, China)

  • Jinlong Gong

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University)

  • Naijia Guan

    (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering
    Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University)

Abstract

Titanium dioxide is a promising photocatalyst for water splitting, but it suffers from low visible light activity due to its wide band gap. Doping can narrow the band gap of titanium dioxide; however, new charge-carrier recombination centres may be introduced. Here we report the design of sub-10 nm rutile titanium dioxide nanoparticles, with an increased amount of surface/sub-surface defects to overcome the negative effects from bulk defects. Abundant defects can not only shift the top of the valence band of rutile titanium dioxide upwards for band-gap narrowing but also promote charge-carrier separation. The role of titanium(III) is to enhance, rather than initiate, the visible-light-driven water splitting. The sub-10 nm rutile nanoparticles exhibit the state-of-the-art activity among titanium dioxide-based semiconductors for visible-light-driven water splitting and the concept of ultra-small nanoparticles with abundant defects may be extended to the design of other robust semiconductor photocatalysts.

Suggested Citation

  • Landong Li & Junqing Yan & Tuo Wang & Zhi-Jian Zhao & Jian Zhang & Jinlong Gong & Naijia Guan, 2015. "Sub-10 nm rutile titanium dioxide nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6881
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6881
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    Cited by:

    1. Shengqiang Chen & Yanxia Zhu & Qingqing Xu & Qi Jiang & Danyang Chen & Ting Chen & Xishen Xu & Zhaokui Jin & Qianjun He, 2022. "Photocatalytic glucose depletion and hydrogen generation for diabetic wound healing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Lei Luo & Lei Fu & Huifen Liu & Youxun Xu & Jialiang Xing & Chun-Ran Chang & Dong-Yuan Yang & Junwang Tang, 2022. "Synergy of Pd atoms and oxygen vacancies on In2O3 for methane conversion under visible light," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Li, Zhenzi & Wang, Shijie & Wu, Jiaxing & Zhou, Wei, 2022. "Recent progress in defective TiO2 photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Luis Fernando Morelos Medina & Rufino Nava & María de los Ángeles Cuán Hernández & Omar Said Yáñez Soria & Bárbara Pawelec & Rufino M. Navarro & Carlos Elías Ornelas Gutiérrez, 2020. "Structural, Optical and Photocatalytic Characterization of Zn x Cd 1−x S Solid Solutions Synthetized Using a Simple Ultrasonic Radiation Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, October.
    5. Guo, Liejin & Chen, Yubin & Su, Jinzhan & Liu, Maochang & Liu, Ya, 2019. "Obstacles of solar-powered photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production: A perspective from energy flow and mass flow," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1079-1086.
    6. Zhao Li & Chengliang Mao & Qijun Pei & Paul N. Duchesne & Teng He & Meikun Xia & Jintao Wang & Lu Wang & Rui Song & Feysal M. Ali & Débora Motta Meira & Qingjie Ge & Kulbir Kaur Ghuman & Le He & Xiaoh, 2022. "Engineered disorder in CO2 photocatalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Zhu, Rongshu & Tian, Fei & Che, Sainan & Cao, Gang & Ouyang, Feng, 2017. "The photocatalytic performance of modified ZnIn2S4 with graphene and La for hydrogen generation under visible light," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1503-1514.
    8. Saraswat, Sushil Kumar & Rodene, Dylan D. & Gupta, Ram B., 2018. "Recent advancements in semiconductor materials for photoelectrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production using visible light," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 228-248.
    9. Mohammed Mahmood Katun & Rudo Kadzutu-Sithole & Nosipho Moloto & Cuthbert Nyamupangedengu & Chandima Gomes, 2021. "Improving Thermal Stability and Hydrophobicity of Rutile-TiO 2 Nanoparticles for Oil-Impregnated Paper Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, November.

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