title: Surface-alkalinization-induced enhancement of photocatalytic H2 evolution over SrTiO3-based photocatalysts.
abstract: A strategy of reaction-environment modulation was employed to change the surface property of a semiconductor photocatalyst to enhance its photocatalytic performance. Surface alkalinization induced by a high alkalinity of the solution environment significantly shifted the surface energy band of a SrTiO(3) photocatalyst to a more negative level, supplying a strong potential for H(2)O reduction and consequently promoting the photocatalytic efficiency of H(2) evolution. This mechanism is also applicable for visible-light-sensitive La,Cr-codoped SrTiO(3) photocatalyst, which hence, could achieve a high apparent quantum efficiency of 25.6% for H(2) evolution in CH(3)OH aqueous solution containing 5 M NaOH at an incident wavelength of 425 ± 12 nm.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Remediation Materials Unit, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuxin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Umezawa
authors.forename: Junyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yingpu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Yuanjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000468:Alkalies / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013324:Strontium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D010087:Oxides; D006859:Hydrogen; D014025:Titanium; C119252:strontium titanium oxide; D013324:Strontium