Xudong Liu, Xu Zhang, Cheng Zhao, Xiaoqing Shu, Dawei Fang, Jun Wang

College of Chemistry

Youtao Song

School of Environment

Abstract

A visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production system (Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li/Na₂Nb_xTa_2-xO₆/(Au/RGO)), which is composed of up-conversion luminescence agent (Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li), Nb(V)-substituted Na₂Ta₂O₆ (Na₂Nb_xTa_2-xO₆) and combined co-catalyst (Au/RGO), is designed and the photocatalytic hydrogen production activity is studied using methanol as sacrificial agent in aqueous solution. In employed composite nanoparticles, the  Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li/Na₂Nb_0.5Ta_1.5O₆/(Au/RGO) with 0.4:1.0 mass ratio of Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li and Na₂Nb_0.5Ta_1.5O₆ gives the highest amount of hydrogen production under visible-light irradiation, which is 2.3 times higher than that of Na₂Nb_0.5Ta_1.5O₆/(Au/RGO). The high photocatalytic hydrogen production activity is attributed to spectrographic matching between Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li and Na₂Nb_0.5Ta_1.5O₆/(Au/RGO). That is, the ultraviolet-light (230-320 nm) from up-conversion emission of Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺,Li can effectively activate Na₂Nb_0.5Ta_1.5O₆/(Au/RGO). The presence of Nb can adjust the band-gap of Na₂Ta₂O₆ to broaden light respond range. In addition, Au/RGO can quickly separate the photo-generated electrons and holes and further enhance the photocatalytic hydrogen production activity.

Read the article here:   102-Preparation of Y2SiO5Pr3+,Li and Na2NbxTa2-xO6(AuRGO) composites and investigation into visible-light driven photocatalytic hydrogen production.pdf