Activation of photocatalytic performance controlling defects and band bending at interface

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15314
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 26040:Structural materials and functional materials-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Hyodo Junji 九州大学, 稲盛フロンティア研究センター, 特任助教 (70736149)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 光触媒 / 完全水分解反応 / バンドエンジニアリング / 酸素欠陥

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Photocatalysts with "n-type-metal-p-type" junctions were synthesized and evaluated for their complete water splitting reaction activity using Pt-supported p-type and n-type Fe-substituted SrTiO3 as a model system. No improvement in photocatalytic activity was observed due to the formation of the "n-type-metal-p-type" junction, which was initially expected. This may be due to the fact that the surface atomic rearrangement during the catalyst synthesis hindered the formation of an ideal interface and prevented the formation of an interfacial band structure that could efficiently transport excitons to the reaction site, using the metal auxiliary catalyst as an excited electron and hole recombination site.

Free Research Field

固体イオニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、半導体材料と金属の界面形成時の表面原子再配列や界面原子の相互拡散を精密に制御する触媒合成プロセス最適化の必要性を強く示すものである。表面および界面原子再配列には材料組成、酸素欠陥濃度、ガス雰囲気、温度が関与していることが本研究で示唆され、これらの自由度の組み合わせの中から、光触媒の機能を最大限引き出すプロセスを開発する必要がある。本研究にて見出された課題を克服することで、太陽光エネルギーを活用した高効率水素生成が可能となり、持続可能な開発の実現できるものと考えられる。