An orthophosphate semiconductor with photooxidation properties under visible-light irradiation.
The search for active semiconductor photocatalysts that directly split water under visible-light irradiation remains one of the most challenging tasks for solar-energy utilization. Over the past 30 years, the search for such materials has focused mainly on metal-ion substitution as in In(1-x)Ni(x)TaO(4) and (V-,Fe- or Mn-)TiO(2) (refs 7,8), non-metal-ion substitution as in TiO(2-x)N(x) and Sm(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) (refs 9,10) or solid-solution fabrication as in (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) and ZnS-CuInS(2)-AgInS(2) (refs 11,12). Here we report a new use of Ag(3)PO(4) semiconductor, which can harness visible light to oxidize water as well as decompose organic contaminants in aqueous solution. This suggests its potential as a photofunctional material for both water splitting and waste-water cleaning. More generally, it suggests the incorporation of p block elements and alkali or alkaline earth ions into a simple oxide of narrow bandgap as a strategy to design new photoelectrodes or photocatalysts.
Photocatalytic Materials Center, and International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), and Innovative Center of Nanomaterials Science for Environment and Energy (ICNSEE), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan.
Zhiguo
Z
Yi
Jinhua
J
Ye
Naoki
N
Kikugawa
Tetsuya
T
Kako
Shuxin
S
Ouyang
Hilary
H
Stuart-Williams
Hui
H
Yang
Junyu
J
Cao
Wenjun
W
Luo
Zhaosheng
Z
Li
Yun
Y
Liu
Ray L
RL
Withers
D002384:Catalysis; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D007477:Ions; D008027:Light; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D012666:Semiconductors; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals; D010710:Phosphates; D018030:Silver Compounds; D010100:Oxygen; C039072:silver phosphate