Synergetic effects of Cu/TiO 2 sensitized with different cyanine dyes on hydrogen evolution

The production of hydrogen as an alternative fuel is a major challenge for developed countries. To achieve this, photocatalysis is a promising method, which depends mainly on a renewable energy source, namely, the sun. Many derivatives of cyanine-sensitized Cu/TiO were prepared and characterized by...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:RSC advances 2019-08, Vol.9 (43), p.24670-24681
Main Authors: Almazroai, Layla S, El-Mekawy, Rasha E
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The production of hydrogen as an alternative fuel is a major challenge for developed countries. To achieve this, photocatalysis is a promising method, which depends mainly on a renewable energy source, namely, the sun. Many derivatives of cyanine-sensitized Cu/TiO were prepared and characterized by XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, BET surface area and UV-vis spectrophotometry and their photocatalytic activity was studied. The study of hydrogen production over the sensitized photocatalysts confirmed the significant role of the dyes in the enhancement of hydrogen production. Dye molecules harness light radiation to produce strong oxidizing species, such as hydroxyl radicals, which in turn form hydrogen molecules. Combining sonolysis with photocatalysis processes proved that ultrasound waves inhibit the agglomeration of particles and maintain their surface area. This synergetic process increased the efficiency of hydrogen production by 7 times using photocatalysis only.
ISSN:2046-2069
2046-2069
DOI:10.1039/c9ra04696h