Functionalization of plasmonic photocatalysts and visible and infrared light-induced reactions

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26289307
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Catalyst/Resource chemical process
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: KOMINAMI Hiroshi 近畿大学, 理工学部, 教授 (00257966)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 光触媒 / プラズモニック光触媒 / 表面プラズモン共鳴 / 可視光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We found that plasmonic Au particles on titanium(IV) oxide (TiO2) act as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for overall water splitting free from any additives. This is the first report showing that surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in a suspension system induces overall water splitting effectively. Nickel (Ni)-modified Au/TiO2 exhibited 5-times higher rates of H2 and O2 evolution than those of Ni-free Au/TiO2. We succeeded in designing a novel solar energy conversion system including three elemental technologies, charge separation with light harvest and active site for O2 evolution (plasmonic Au particles), charge transfer from Au to the active site for H2 production (TiO2), and active site for H2 production (Ni cocatalyst), by taking advantage of a technique for fabricating size-controlled Au and Ni nanoparticles. Water splitting occurred in aqueous suspesnions of Ni-modified Au/TiO2 even under irradiation of light through an R-62 filter

Free Research Field

触媒化学