title: Nitrogen-doped anatase nanofibers decorated with noble metal nanoparticles for photocatalytic production of hydrogen.
abstract: We report the synthesis of N-doped TiO(2) nanofibers and high photocatalytic efficiency in generating hydrogen from ethanol-water mixtures under UV-A and UV-B irradiation. Titanate nanofibers synthesized by hydrothermal method are annealed in air and/or ammonia to achieve N-doped anatase fibers. Depending on the synthesis route, either interstitial N atoms or new N-Ti bonds appear in the lattice, resulting in slight lattice expansion as shown by XPS and HR-TEM analysis, respectively. These nanofibers were then used as support for Pd and Pt nanoparticles deposited with wet impregnation followed by calcination and reduction. In the hydrogen generation tests, the N-doped samples were clearly outperforming their undoped counterparts, showing remarkable efficiency not only under UV-B but also with UV-A illumination. When 100 mg of catalyst (N-doped TiO(2) nanofiber decorated with Pt nanoparticles) was applied to 1 L of water-ethanol mixture, the H(2) evolution rates were as high as 700 μmol/h (UV-A) and 2250 μmol/h (UV-B) corresponding to photo energy conversion percentages of ∼3.6 and ∼12.3%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Microelectronics and Materials Physics Laboratories, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4500, Oulu FIN-90014, Finland.
authors.forename: Ming-Chung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hiltunen
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sápi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Hsueh-Chung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huuhtanen
authors.forename: Géza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Andrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shchukarev
authors.forename: Noémi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laufer
authors.forename: Ákos
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Kukovecz
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kónya
authors.forename: Jyri-Pekka
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mikkola
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keiski
authors.forename: Wei-Fang
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yang-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jantunen
authors.forename: Pulickel M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ajayan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vajtai
authors.forename: Krisztián
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kordás
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water; C009495:titanium dioxide; D000431:Ethanol; D010984:Platinum; D010165:Palladium; D006859:Hydrogen; D014025:Titanium