Graphene reduction of P25 titania: Ti3+- doped titania/graphene nanohybrids for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2020-03, Vol.45 (16), p.9564-9574
• Main Authors: Rajeena, Uruniyengal, Akbar, Mohammed, Raveendran, Poovanthinthodiyil, Ramakrishnan, Resmi M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: H2 production; Reduced hydroxy graphene; Solvothermal; Ti3+- doped titania
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.01.184

Ti3+-doped titania has attracted great attention in recent years by its enhanced photocatalytic performance as compared to the conventional titania systems. In this work, solvothermally reduced hydroxy graphene (RHG), derived from fluorographite (FGT), is used to reduce commercially available P25 titania to produce Ti3+-doped, TiO2-x/RHG nanocomposites, via a facile solid-state route. These nanohybrids exhibit high performance towards photocatalytic hydrogen generation under broad-band irradiation, with a 3497 μmol/g/h hydrogen production rate, without the assistance of any noble metal co-catalyst. This enhanced rate can be attributed to the surface defects generated by Ti3+-doping as well as the ability of RHG to perform as a highly efficient scavenger for the photogenerated electrons. It is hypothesized that RHG could serve as one of the most suitable co-catalysts for the semiconductor-based photocatalysts. [Display omitted] •Reduction of P25 TiO2 with reduced hydroxy graphene (RHG) is presented.•Ti3+ doped TiO2-x/RHG nanocomposites are made by a facile solid-state mixing strategy.•The nanohybrid with 60 wt% of RHG shows the best H2 production.•The photocatalysis is carried out without the use of any noble metals.