2019 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Surface-plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic H2 generation and CO2 conversion over metal nanoparticles
| Project/Area Number |
19K15311
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| Research Institution | Osaka University |
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Principal Investigator |
Verma Priyanka 大阪大学, 工学研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (60837318)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | photocatalysis / plasmonic nanoparticles / mesoporous materials / microwave chemistry / CO2 utilization |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The main purpose of this research is to design and develop visible-light sensitive photocatalysts which can efficiently capture and utilize the available solar energy to chemical energy. To extend the research studies on plasmonic nanocatalysts, we synthesized Au nanoparticles (NPs) on different morphologies of TiO2 support material.
Different morphologies of TiO2 (nanotube, nanorod and microporous) were prepared by the hydrothermal treatment of anatase TiO2 with different alkali hydroxides such as NaOH, KOH and LiOH at 400 K for 30 h. These TiO2 nanotube/nanorod/microporous particles were then used to accommodate Au NPs for carrying out the photocatalytic reaction because of its high surface area and large pore volume. It was observed from the reaction results that the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol was significantly enhanced by the plasmonic excitation of Au NPs under visible light irradiation, especially in the case of TiO2 nanotube and nanorod as the support material. Based on spectroscopic analyses, it was concluded that the charge separation effect arising from the localized surface plasmon resonance of Au NPs caused a simultaneous oxidation and reduction of substrate (electron donor) and O2 (electron acceptor) at different sites.
Although extended studies utilizing this Au/TiO2 plasmonic catalyst to H2 production and CO2 reduction have not been done yet, we predict that such progress in the design of new catalysts by utilizing solar energy will definitely foster the development of clean photocatalytic system.
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Research Products
(2 results)
