title: Enhancement of Ag-Based Plasmonic Photocatalysis in Hydrogen Production from Ammonia Borane by the Assistance of Single-Site Ti-Oxide Moieties within a Silica Framework.
abstract: Ag nanoparticles (NPs) have gained great attention owing to their interesting plasmonic properties and efficient catalysis under visible-light irradiation. In this study, an Ag-based plasmonic catalyst supported on mesoporous silica with isolated and tetrahedrally coordinated single-site Ti-oxide moieties, namely, Ag/Ti-SBA-15, was designed with the purpose of utilizing the broad spectral range of solar energy. The Ti-SBA-15 support allows the deposition of small Ag NPs with a narrow size distribution. The chemical structure, morphology, and optical properties of the prepared catalyst were characterized by techniques such as UV/Vis, FT extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission SEM, TEM, and N2physisorption studies. The catalytic activity of Ag/Ti-SBA-15 in hydrogen production from ammonia borane by hydrolysis was significantly enhanced in comparison with Ag/SBA-15 without Ti-oxide moieties and Ag/TiO2/SBA-15 involving agglomerated TiO2, both in the dark and under light irradiation. Improved electron transfer under light irradiation caused by the creation of heterojunctions between Ag NPs and Ti-oxide moieties explains the results obtained in the present study.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries ESICB, Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries ESICB, Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan.|JST, PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohsuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries ESICB, Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1796-5776
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
keywords: mesoporous materials; photochemistry; silver; surface plasmon resonance; titanium