Photocatalytic water splitting with nano-K[sub]4[/sub]Nb[sub]6[/sub]O[sub]17[/sub]

Troy K. Townsend; Erwin M. Sabio; Nigel D. Browning; Frank E. Osterloh

doi:10.1117/12.860063

1 September 2010 Photocatalytic water splitting with nano-K₄Nb₆O₁₇

Troy K. Townsend, Erwin M. Sabio, Nigel D. Browning, Frank E. Osterloh

Proceedings Volume 7770, Solar Hydrogen and Nanotechnology V; 77700I (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.860063
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

As many water splitting photocatalysts only evolve hydrogen under irradiation due to complications with high energy water oxidation steps, a three component nano-catalyst was designed by combining sites for water reduction and oxidation with solar-charge-supplying semiconductor. The semiconductor framework was derived from K₄Nb₆O₁₇, a known UV-light photocatalyst with a band gap of 3.5 eV. Following ion exchange and exfoliation with terabutyalammonium hydroxide, the layered material separates into nanosheets that coil into 1 ± 0.5 um long and 10 ± 5 nm wide nanoscrolls to redue surface energy. PT (reduction sites) and IrOx (oxidation sites) were photochecmically deposited on the surface of the nanoscrolls to produce two-and three-component nanostructures. Upon irradiation with UV-light, H₂ was evolved from aqueous methanol and pure water, substoichiometric O₂ from aqueous AgNo₃. The band structures of each catalyst and reason for lack of O₂ evolution from pure water was evaluated with cyclic voltammetry and photoelectrochemistry.

Citation Download Citation

Troy K. Townsend, Erwin M. Sabio, Nigel D. Browning, and Frank E. Osterloh "Photocatalytic water splitting with nano-K₄Nb₆O₁₇", Proc. SPIE 7770, Solar Hydrogen and Nanotechnology V, 77700I (1 September 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.860063

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