title: Simultaneous copper ion removal and hydrogen production from water over a TiO₂ nanotube photocatalyst.
abstract: A one-dimensional (1-D) mesoporous TiO₂ nanotube (TiNT) was successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal-calcination process, and employed in simultaneous photocatalytic Cu(2+) removal and H₂ production. Under irradiation, Cu(2+) in the wide concentration range of 8-800 ppm, could be reduced rapidly, and the reduction was not severely impacted by co-existing inorganic ions in solution. Simultaneous with Cu(2+) reduction, noticeable H₂ was produced over the in-situ fabricated Cu incorporated TiNT (Cu-TiNT) photocatalyst, while H₂ evolution rate was controlled by the Cu(2+) reduction process, due to competition of electron capture between protons and Cu(2+). In addition, H₂ generation activity of Cu-TiNT depended on the initial Cu(2+)/Ti ratio, and could be depressed by co-existing ions in solution. Fast Cu(2+) reduction and remarkable H₂ evolution confirmed the feasibility of simultaneous Cu(2+) removal and H₂ production over a TiNT photocatalyst.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; C009495:titanium dioxide; D003300:Copper; D006859:Hydrogen; D014025:Titanium