PANI/NaTaO₃ composite photocatalyst for enhanced hydrogen generation under UV light irradiation

Abstract

A PANI/NaTaO 3 composite was successfully synthesized by an oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer in hydrochloric acid solution containing sodium tantalate. NaTaO 3 at a monoclinic structure was produced via hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activities of the unmodifi ed NaTaO 3 and PANI/NaTaO 3 were evaluated for hydrogen generation from an aqueous HCOOH solution and under UV light irradiation. The results showed that the evolution rate of H 2 increased signifi cantly when NaTaO 3 was modifi ed with PANI. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of PANI/NaTaO 3 composite was ascribed to the effective charge transfer and separation between NaTaO 3 and PANI, which reduced their recombination. This indicates that PANI modifi cation of tantalate photocatalysts may open up a new way to prepare highly effi cient catalytic materials for H 2 generation.

Interfacial Tuning of Polymeric Composite Materials for High-Performance Energy Devices

“…A composite of NaTaO 3 with PANI produces a two-times higher amount of hydrogen for the two hours of light irradiation than that of pristine NaTaO 3 [66]. The NaTaO 3 and PANI interfaces exhibit a low rate of charge recombination, which results in higher photocatalytic activity.…”

Recent Developments about Conductive Polymer Based Composite Photocatalysts

“…Moreover, based on prior study done by Kato and Kudo in 1998, it was revealed that alkali tantalate is one of the most promising photocatalysts for the photo-decomposition of water under UV light irradiation [ 51 ]. Zielińska et al reported the loading of PANI on NaTaO 3 via oxidative polymerization in acidic solution containing sodium tantalate [ 52 ]. After 120 min of UV light illumination, the hydrogen production of PANI/NaTaO 3 reached about 2 times higher than that of pure NaTaO 3 .…”

Recent Progress on Metal Sulfide Composite Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

“…That study showed that polyaniline is an efficient conducting material for modifying CdS nanomaterials, for it enables better light penetration than does a polypyrrole shell. Zielińska et al [68] reported that the hydrogen production of PANI/NaTaO 3 photocatalyst under UV light irradiation was about twice that of pristine NaTaO 3 photocatalyst. PANI/NaTaO 3 exhibits a lower PL spectrum than that of NaTaO 3 , indicating a slower recombination of photoexcited charge carriers.…”