Gold nanocluster-sensitized TiO2 nanotubes to enhance the photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light

Atomically Precise Bimetallic Nanoclusters as Photosensitizers in Photoelectrochemical Cells

“…This kind of enhancement is pH‐independent, which is different from the electrostatic‐interaction‐assisted deposition of glutathione‐protected gold NCs on the TiO 2 surface. For the latter, the pH of the aqueous solution is usually adjusted to below the isoelectric point of TiO 2 , which results in a positively charged surface of the substrate . Glutathione‐protected gold NCs with a large amount of deprotonated carboxylic groups (‐COO − ) then attach onto TiO 2 .…”

“…For the latter,t he pH of the aqueous solution is usually adjusted to below the isoelectric pointo fT iO 2 ,w hich results in ap ositivelyc harged surface of the substrate. [60] Glutathione-protected gold NCs with a large amount of deprotonated carboxylic groups (-COO À )t hen attach onto TiO 2 .T his electrostatici nteraction is sensitivet o the environmental pH value and external electric field. Under a pH value highert han the isoelectric point of TiO 2 ,t he TiO 2 surface charge changes from positive to negative, leading to electrostatic repulsion between the substrate and the NCs.…”

Fabrication of plasmonic dye-sensitized solar cells using ion-implanted photoanodes

“…Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), a unique characteristic of metal nanoparticles (Mnps) that arises due to the collective oscillations of free electrons in metals and their surrounding dielectric medium, has been extensively investigated in various applications such as in photocatalysis, 1,2 electrochemistry, 3,4 photovoltaics, 5,6 water-splitting, 7,8 light-emitting diodes, 9,10 sensing, 11,12 and plasmouidics. 13,14 In photovoltaic devices, the plasmonic Mnps induce a stronger near-eld coupling at the Mnps and semiconductor interface upon interaction with the incident light.…”

Sol–gel-hydrothermal synthesis of Er3+:Y3Al5O12/Pt–TiO2 membrane and visible-light driving photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from pollutants

“…Hydrogen, an attractive alternative clean energy, is expected to become a major energy source in the future [1]. Sequentially, most researchers attempt to convert solar energy to hydrogen [2,3]. Hydrogen is currently produced from a variety of primary sources, such as natural gas, naphtha, heavy oil, methanol, biomass, wastes, coal, wind energy, hydropower and nuclear energy [4][5][6].…”

“…The synthesis of Er 3+ :Y 3 Al 5 O 12 as up-conversion luminescence agent by the sol-gel and calcination method was carried out with the following procedure. Er 2 O 3 (0.0128 g) and Y 2 O 3 (2.2715 g) powders were dissolved in HNO 3 aqueous solution (30 mL, 50%) with magnetic stirring and heated (about 60 • C) until transparent to obtain Y(NO 3 ) 3 and Er(NO 3 ) 3 solutions. Al(NO 3 ) 3 ·9H 2 O (12.6208 g) was dissolved into 150 mL deionized water.…”