Platinum nanoparticles supported on defective tungsten bronze-type KSr2Nb5O15 as a novel photocatalyst for efficient ethylene oxidation

Abstract

Efficient separation and extraction of photo-induced carriers are crucial aspects of efficient semiconductor photocatalytic systems employed for photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology. In this study, a Pt-loaded KSr₂Nb₅O₁₅ composite, as a novel photocatalyst, is reported for gaseous ethylene photo-oxidation, performing excellent PCO activity. Tungsten bronze-type KSr₂Nb₅O₁₅ (KSNO) with surface oxygen vacancies is prepared by a facile and low-cost molten salt synthesis method at 1200 °C for 6 h and a possible morphology evolution process was proposed. Pt was loaded on KSNO through a facile photodeposition method. The strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) between the Pt nanoparticles and the oxygen-deficient KSNO support is beneficial for superior photocatalytic efficiency and stability toward ethylene photo-oxidation. What's more, the structure and charge transfer path in the synthesized photocatalysts were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution electron microscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR).