Development of copper-doped TiO 2 photocatalyst for hydrogen production under visible light
Abstract
The advantage of copper doping onto TiO 2 semiconductor photocatalyst for enhanced hydrogen generation under irradiation at the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum has been investigated. Two methods of preparation for the copper-doped catalyst were selected - complex precipitation and wet impregnation methods - using copper nitrate trihydrate as the starting material. The dopant loading varied from 2 to 15%. Characterization of the photocatalysts was done by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed reduction (TPR), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis (DR-UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen generation from water was investigated using a multiport photocatalytic reactor under visible light illumination with methanol added as a hole scavenger. Three calcination temperatures were selected - 300, 400 and 500 °C. It was found that 10 wt.% Cu/TiO 2 calcined at 300 °C for 30 min yielded the maximum quantity of hydrogen. The reduction of band gap as a result of doping was estimated and the influence of the process parameters on catalytic activity is explained.
- Publication:
-
Energy
- Pub Date:
- January 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.energy.2009.07.024
- Bibcode:
- 2009Ene....34.1652Y
- Keywords:
-
- Copper-doped TiO 2;
- Hydrogen production;
- Solar hydrogen;
- Photocatalyst