TNTZO nanotubes photocatalyst fabricated by one-step anodization method

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14085
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 28030:Nanomaterials-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Chen Chun-Yi 東京工業大学, 科学技術創成研究院, 特任助教 (90707473)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: anodization / nanotubes array / water splitting

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By performing electrochemical anodization on Ti29Nb13Ta4.6Zr (TNTZ) alloys, quaternary Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr-O mixed-oxide nanotube arrays with controllable geometric features were prepared. Compared with pristine TiO2, the TNTZO photoanodes exhibited noticeably enhanced photoactivity toward solar water splitting. The analytic results manifest that the superior photoactivity of TNTZO originated from the introduction of Nd, Ta, and Zr elements, which enhanced the amount of accessible charge carriers, modified the electronic structure, and improved the hole-transfer kinetics for expediting water splitting. Furthermore, reducing the water content of the electrolyte to 0.9 vol % generated TNTZO nanotubes that can be fully depleted during photoelectrochemical (PEC) operations, which may serve as a versatile structural backbone to construct a sophisticated photoelectrode paradigm. This work examined the realistic hydrogen evolution by employing TNTZO as the photoanode in the PEC water splitting cell.

Free Research Field

電気化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

The present work examined the realistic hydrogen evolution by employing TNTZO as the photoanode in the photoelectrochemical(PEC) water splitting cell. This illustration reveals that the fully depleted TNTZO nanotubes can practically perform PEC water splitting to realize solar hydrogen production.