Nanocomposite of graphene oxide with nitrogen-doped TiO2 exhibiting enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen evolution

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2013-02, Vol.38 (6), p.2670-2677
• Main Authors: Pei, Fuyun, Liu, Yingliang, Xu, Shengang, Lü, Jing, Wang, Chenxu, Cao, Shaokui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Catalysts: preparations and properties; Chemistry; Electron sink; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Graphene; Hydrogen evolution; Nitrogen-doping; Photocatalysis; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.12.045

The application of hydrogen energy potentially addresses energy and environmental problems. In order to improve the photocatalytic efficiency, nanocomposite of N-doped TiO2 with graphene oxide (NTG) is prepared and characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscope (AFM), photoluminescent spectra. The application of NTG to hydrogen evolution exhibits high photocatalytic efficiency of 716.0 or 112.0 μmol h−1 g−1 under high-pressure Hg or Xenon lamp, which is about 9.2 or 13.6 times higher than P25 photocatalyst. This is mainly attributed to the N-doping of TiO2 and the incorporation of graphene oxide resulting in narrow band gap, together with the synergistic effect of fast electron-transporting of photogenerated electrons and the efficient electron-collecting of graphene oxide retarding charge recombination. These results provide a significant theoretical foundation for the potential application of N-doping photocatalysts to hydrogen evolution. [Display omitted] ► Nanocomposite of N–TiO2 with graphene oxide is prepared by hydrothermal process. ► NTG exhibits high photocatalytic efficiency in hydrogen evolution. ► Photocatalytic efficiency of NTG is improved from N-doped TiO2 and graphene oxide. ► Nitrogen-doping of TiO2 is to narrow band gap and to enhance light absorption. ► Fast electron-transporting and efficient electron-collecting is synergistic.