Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution on graphene quantum dots anchored TiO₂ nanotubes-array

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• 作者：Yifu Yu ; Jiale Ren ; Ming Meng
• 关键词：Inverse structure ; Graphene quantum dots ; Water splitting ; TiO2 nanotubes-array
• 刊名：International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：19 September, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：38
• 期：28
• 页码：12266-12272
• 全文大小：1708 K

文摘

The inversely structured TiO₂ nanotubes-array (TiO₂-NA) and CdS-modified TiO₂ nanotubes-array (CdS/TiO₂-NA) with graphene quantum dots (GQDs) anchored inside were prepared through a facile impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by multiple techniques of SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TG and diffuse reflectance UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. The results of TEM, XPS and Raman spectroscopy indicate that the GQDs were really formed and successfully anchored into the TiO₂-NA and CdS/TiO₂-NA. The activity evaluation results show that the hydrogen evolution rate during photocatalytic water splitting was greatly improved after loading GQDs into TiO₂-NA and CdS/TiO₂-NA. By breaking graphene into GQDs, the light-filtering effect of graphene was remarkably inhibited as compared with that of conventional large graphene sheets. Moreover, the overall morphology of TiO₂ nanotube array could be well maintained after anchoring GQDs inside, which is favorable to mass transfer. The catalyst design strategy proposed in present work can be extended to other photocatalytic systems.