title: Nano-ferrites for water splitting: unprecedented high photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light.
abstract: In the present investigation, hydrogen production via water splitting by nano-ferrites was studied using ethanol as the sacrificial donor and Pt as co-catalyst. Nano-ferrite is emerging as a promising photocatalyst with a hydrogen evolution rate of 8.275 μmol h(-1) and a hydrogen yield of 8275 μmol h(-1) g(-1) under visible light compared to 0.0046 μmol h(-1) for commercial iron oxide (tested under similar experimental conditions). Nano-ferrites were tested in three different photoreactor configurations. The rate of hydrogen evolution by nano-ferrite was significantly influenced by the photoreactor configuration. Altering the reactor configuration led to sevenfold (59.55 μmol h(-1)) increase in the hydrogen evolution rate. Nano-ferrites have shown remarkable stability in hydrogen production up to 30 h and the cumulative hydrogen evolution rate was observed to be 98.79 μmol h(-1). The hydrogen yield was seen to be influenced by several factors like photocatalyst dose, illumination intensity, irradiation time, sacrificial donor and presence of co-catalyst. These were then investigated in detail. It was evident from the experimental data that nano-ferrites under optimized reaction conditions and photoreactor configuration could lead to remarkable hydrogen evolution activity under visible light. Temperature had a significant role in enhancing the hydrogen yield.
authors: Environmental Materials Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI, Nehru Marg), Nagpur, India.
authors: Priti A
authors: PA
authors: Mangrulkar
authors: Vivek
authors: V
authors: Polshettiwar
authors: Nitin K
authors: NK
authors: Labhsetwar
authors: Rajender S
authors: RS
authors: Varma
authors: Sadhana S
authors: SS
authors: Rayalu
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C001215:ferrite; D010984:Platinum; D006859:Hydrogen; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide