Issue 56, 2016, Issue in Progress

Large-scale synthesis of stable mesoporous black TiO2 nanosheets for efficient solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via an earth-abundant low-cost biotemplate

Abstract

Stable mesoporous black anatase TiO2 nanosheets (MBTNs) are synthesized via an earth-abundant low-cost biotemplate method combined with an ethanediamine encircling process, and subsequent high-temperature calcinations and surface hydrogenation. The MBTNs, which can be synthesized on a large scale with a low cost, are composed of Ti3+ in frameworks and surface disorders. In this case, the employment of ethanediamine encircling plays a vital role in fabricating the stable MBTNs, and not only favors high-temperature hydrogenation (600 °C), but also retains the mesoporous network as well as inhibiting the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation and grain growth. The resultant MBTNs possess a relatively high surface area of ∼74 m2 g−1, and large pore size and pore volume of ∼10 nm and 0.15 cm3 g−1, respectively. The MBTNs, with a narrow bandgap of ∼2.85 eV, can extend the photoresponse from the ultraviolet to visible light region, and exhibit an excellent solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate (∼165 μmol h−1 0.05 g−1), which is about twice as high as that of pristine mesoporous TiO2 nanosheets (∼82 μmol h−1 0.05 g−1). This efficient solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is ascribed to the synergistic effects of the highly crystalline, ultrathin 2D mesoporous structure of Ti3+ in frameworks and surface disorders.

Graphical abstract: Large-scale synthesis of stable mesoporous black TiO2 nanosheets for efficient solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via an earth-abundant low-cost biotemplate

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Mar 2016
Accepted
11 May 2016
First published
12 May 2016

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 50506-50512

Large-scale synthesis of stable mesoporous black TiO2 nanosheets for efficient solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via an earth-abundant low-cost biotemplate

K. Zhang, W. Zhou, X. Zhang, Y. Qu, L. Wang, W. Hu, K. Pan, M. Li, Y. Xie, B. Jiang and G. Tian, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 50506 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA06751D

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