Photo-controlled bond changes on Pt/TiO2 for promoting overall water splitting and restraining hydrogen–oxygen recombination

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 5938-5942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Zhang ◽  
Hongyan Hu ◽  
Xiaojuan Huang ◽  
Yingpu Bi

Photo-induced chemical-bond reconstruction processes at Pt/TiO2 photocatalytic interfaces have been detected for the first time via synchronous illumination X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with an angle-resolved technique.

Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Kanazawa ◽  
Shunsuke Nozawa ◽  
Daling Lu ◽  
Kazuhiko Maeda

The mechanism of PdCrOx multi-component cocatalyst formation on SrTiO3 was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PdCrOx/SrTiO3 samples were synthesized by a photodeposition method under UV light irradiation (λ > 300 nm) for various time periods (0–5 h). The fine structure and valence state of the Pd species of PdCrOx nanoparticles were varied from Pd oxide to a mixture of metallic Pd and oxidized Pd species with an increase in the irradiation time. The overall water-splitting activity of PdCrOx was strongly dependent on the photoirradiation time during deposition. Although longer photoirradiation time during preparation did not influence the H2 evolution activity of PdCrOx/SrTiO3 from aqueous methanol solution, it was effective in suppressing the O2 photoreduction activity, which is one of the backward reactions during overall water splitting.


Author(s):  
Tianlei Ma ◽  
Marek Nikiel ◽  
Andrew G. Thomas ◽  
Mohamed Missous ◽  
David J. Lewis

AbstractIn this report, we prepared transparent and conducting undoped and molybdenum-doped tin oxide (Mo–SnO2) thin films by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD). The relationship between the precursor concentration in the feed and in the resulting films was studied by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, suggesting that the efficiency of doping is quantitative and that this method could potentially impart exquisite control over dopant levels. All SnO2 films were in tetragonal structure as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction measurements. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterisation indicated for the first time that Mo ions were in mixed valence states of Mo(VI) and Mo(V) on the surface. Incorporation of Mo6+ resulted in the lowest resistivity of $$7.3 \times 10^{{ - 3}} \Omega \,{\text{cm}}$$ 7.3 × 10 - 3 Ω cm , compared to pure SnO2 films with resistivities of $$4.3\left( 0 \right) \times 10^{{ - 2}} \Omega \,{\text{cm}}$$ 4.3 0 × 10 - 2 Ω cm . Meanwhile, a high transmittance of 83% in the visible light range was also acquired. This work presents a comprehensive investigation into impact of Mo doping on SnO2 films synthesised by AACVD for the first time and establishes the potential for scalable deposition of SnO2:Mo thin films in TCO manufacturing. Graphical abstract


Surfaces ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-114
Author(s):  
Yannick Hermans ◽  
Faraz Mehmood ◽  
Kerstin Lakus-Wollny ◽  
Jan P. Hofmann ◽  
Thomas Mayer ◽  
...  

Thin films of ZnWO4, a promising photocatalytic and scintillator material, were deposited for the first time using a reactive dual magnetron sputtering procedure. A ZnO target was operated using an RF signal, and a W target was operated using a DC signal. The power on the ZnO target was changed so that it would match the sputtering rate of the W target operated at 25 W. The effects of the process parameters were characterized using optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that stoichiometric microcrystalline ZnWO4 thin films could be obtained, by operating the ZnO target during the sputtering procedure at a power of 55 W and by post-annealing the resulting thin films for at least 10 h at 600 °C. As FTO coated glass substrates were used, annealing led as well to the incorporation of Na, resulting in n+ doped ZnWO4 thin films.


1989 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.D. Richmond

ABSTRACTFor the first time the (1102) surface of sapphire has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to ascertain chemical changes resulting from annealing in vacuum at 1300° C and 1450° C. As received substrates had a substantial surface C contaminant. For substrates that were chemically cleaned before inserting them into the MBE system no trace of carbon is detected. A residual flourine contaminant results from the cleaning procedure and is desorbed by the vacuum annealing. Spectra of annealed substrates are compared to the unannealed chemically cleaned substrates. The annealed substrates exhibit 0.4 to 0.5 eV shift to higher binding energy of the Al peak and a 0.3 eV shift to higher binding energy of the O peak. In addition, a 2% depletion of oxygen from the surface occurs.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinyu Huang ◽  
Feifei Li ◽  
Baozhong Liu ◽  
Peng Zhang

The hydrogen generated via the water splitting method is restricted by the high level of theoretical potential exhibited by the anode. The work focuses on synthesizing a bifunctional catalyst with a high efficiency, that is, a nickel phosphide doped with the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets supported on the Ni foam (Ni2P/rGO/NF), via the hydrothermal approach together with the calcination approach specific to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The Raman, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), as well as elemental mapping, are adopted to study the composition and morphology possessed by Ni2P/rGO/NF. The electrochemical testing is performed by constructing a parallel two-electrode electrolyzer (Ni2P/rGO/NF||Ni2P/rGO/NF). Ni2P/rGO/NF||Ni2P/rGO/NF needs a voltage of only 1.676 V for driving 10 mA/cm2, which is extremely close to Pt/C/NF||IrO2/NF (1.502 V). It is possible to maintain the current density for no less than 30 hours. It can be demonstrated that Ni2P/rGO/NF||Ni2P/rGO/NF has commercial feasibility, relying on the strong activity and high stability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (46) ◽  
pp. 6515-6518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xijun Wei ◽  
Yunhuai Zhang ◽  
Huichao He ◽  
Di Gao ◽  
Jingrui Hu ◽  
...  

Carbon-incorporated NiO/Co3O4 concave surface microcubes (denoted as NCMC) are successfully developed from a precursor of Ni3[Co(CN)6]2 for the first time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Lingling Zhu ◽  
Liugang Chen ◽  
Luoqiang Liu ◽  
Guotian Ye

AbstractThe change in demoulding strength of colloidal silica-bonded castables with and without magnesia is investigated with emphasis on the relationship between the demoulding strength and chemical bond changes. It was confirmed that the demoulding strength was raised with the presence of magnesia in colloidal silica-bonded castables because of the increased chemical bonding between the sol particles. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicate the formation of new Si–O–Mg chemical bond from the decreased O 1s and Si 2p binding energy, and the appearance of weak vibration peaks at 668 and 419 cm−1 in the spectrum of colloidal silica with the addition of MgO after curing at 30°C for 24 hours. The reaction between colloidal silica and magnesia could promote the formation of –Si–O–Mg–O–Si–bonds, which is the primary reason for the demoulding strength improvement.


Crystals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaoqun Bian ◽  
Xiao Wang ◽  
Lan Yu ◽  
Fen Zhang ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
...  

The incorporation of metal heteroatoms into zeolites is an effective modification strategy for enhancing their catalytic performance. Herein, for the first time we report a generalized methodology for inserting metal heteroatoms (such as Sn, Fe, Zn, and Co) into the layered zeolite precursor RUB-36 via interlayer expansion by using the corresponding metal acetylacetate salt. Through this generalized methodology, Sn-JHP-1, Fe-JHP-1, Zn-JHP-1 and Co-JHP-1 zeolites could be successfully prepared by the reaction of RUB-36 and corresponding metal acetylacetate salt at 180 °C for 24 h in the presence of HCl solution. As a typical example, Sn-JHP-1 and calcined Sn-JHP-1 (Sn-JHP-2) zeolite is well characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), N2 sorption, temperature-programmed-desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, which confirm the expansion of adjacent interlayers and thus the incorporation of isolated Sn sites within the zeolite structure. Notably, the obtained Sn-JHP-2 zeolite sample shows enhanced catalytic performance in the conversion of glucose to levulinic acid (LA) reaction.


Catalysts ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzanna Bielan ◽  
Agnieszka Sulowska ◽  
Szymon Dudziak ◽  
Katarzyna Siuzdak ◽  
Jacek Ryl ◽  
...  

In the presented work, for the first time, the metal-modified defective titanium(IV) oxide nanoparticles with well-defined titanium vacancies, was successfully obtained. Introducing platinum and copper nanoparticles (NPs) as surface modifiers of defective d-TiO2 significantly increased the photocatalytic activity in both UV-Vis and Vis light ranges. Moreover, metal NPs deposition on the magnetic core allowed for the effective separation and reuse of the nanometer-sized photocatalyst from the suspension after the treatment process. The obtained Fe3O4@SiO2/d-TiO2-Pt/Cu photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and specific surface area (BET) measurements, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DR-UV/Vis), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further, the mechanism of phenol degradation and the role of four oxidative species (h+, e−, •OH, and •O2−) in the studied photocatalytic process were investigated.


1989 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihisa Fujisaki ◽  
Shigeo Goto

AbstractSurface structure of (NH4)2S treated GaAs. is investigated using PL (PhotoLuminescence), XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and RHEED (Reflection of High Energy Electron beam Diffraction). The data taken with these techniques show the strong dependence upon the crystal orientations coming from the stabilities of chemical bonds of Ga-S and As-S on GaAs crystals. The greater enhancement of PL intensity, the clearer RHEED patterns and the smaller amount of oxides on (111)A than (111)B implies the realization of a more stable structure composed mainly of the Ga-S chemical bond.


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