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We have developed an ambient pressure hard-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic system equipped with a differential pumping system at BL36XU of SPring-8. Photoelectron spectra from a Au(111) surface were recorded using excitation light of 8 keV focused to 20 × 20 µm2 and adopting an aperture diameter of 30 µm at the entrance of the electron lens and a working distance of 60 µm. The Au 4f and 3d5/2 spectra were measured by increasing the ambient pressure from 1 Pa to atmospheric pressure and demonstrated that the instrument is capable of measuring the photoelectron spectrum under atmospheric pressure.

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This research employed g-C3N4 nanosheets in the hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2/g-C3N4 hybrid photocatalysts. The TiO2/g-C3N4 heterojunctions, well-dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles on the g-C3N4 nanosheets, are effective photocatalysts for the degradation of monochlorophenols (MCPs: 2-CP, 3-CP, and 4-CP) which are prominent water contaminants. The removal efficiency of 2-CP and 4-CP reached 87% and 64%, respectively, after treatment of 25 ppm CP solutions with the photocatalyst (40TiO2/g-C3N4, 1 g/L) and irradiation with UV–Vis light. Treatment of CP solutions with g-C3N4 nanosheets or TiO2 alone in conjunction with irradiation gave removal efficiencies lower than 50%, which suggests the two act synergically to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the 40TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite. Superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are key active species produced during CP photodegradation. In addition, the observed nitrogen and Ti3+ defects and oxygen vacancies in the TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites may improve the light-harvesting ability of the composite and assist preventing rapid electron-hole recombination on the surface, enhancing the photocatalytic performance. In addition, interfacial interactions between the MCPs (low polarity) and thermally exfoliated carbon nitride in the TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites may also enhance MCP degradation.

We have investigated the S adsorption behaviours on Pt and Pt3Co anode and cathode electrode catalysts in PEFC under working conditions for the fresh and degraded states, by studying near ambient pressure HAXPES.