Ethanol photoreaction to hydrogen over Au/TiO₂ catalysts. Investigating the synergistic effect of nanoparticles
by G.I.N. Waterhouse; M. Murdoch; J. Llorca; H. Idriss
International Journal of Nanotechnology (IJNT), Vol. 9, No. 1/2, 2012

Abstract: Hydrogen production using photocatalytic reactions from biomass is one of the most promising methods for a sustainable energy system. Among the many complex factors affecting the reaction rate is the so-called "synergetic or synergistic effect – the phenomenon in which the combined action of two things is greater than the sum of their effects individually" of the polymorph of the semiconductor. In this work we have investigated Au/TiO₂ photo-catalysts for the production of hydrogen from ethanol. We have synthesised Au particles of similar sizes on TiO₂ nanoparticles also of similar sizes but of different polymorphs. It was found that Au/TiO₂ anatase is about two orders of magnitude more active that Au/TiO₂ rutile. Yet, it was also found that when the anatase and rutile particles are present together the reaction rate is higher than that observed over Au/TiO₂ anatase alone. One possible reason for this enhancement is the increase in the number of excited electrons (rutile phase) together with a decrease in the rate of electron-hole recombination (anatase phase) at the interface.

Online publication date: Mon, 09-Jan-2012

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Nanotechnology (IJNT):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com