Pt Atomically Dispersed in Black TiO_2−x/Cu_xO with Chiral‐Like Nanostructure for Visible‐Light H₂ Generation

Abstract

Material design is one of the major driving forces to enhance the intrinsic light harvesting ability of a photocatalyst. Herein, the design of black TiO2−x/CuxO with chiral‐like structures where Pt single atom (SA) is successfully deposited on both black TiO2−x and CuxO for visible‐light H2 generation is reported. Pt is well dispersed not only in the TiO2−x surface but also at the surface of CuxO, forming single‐atom alloys. Oxygen defects stabilize the Pt SAs deposition, which significantly enlarge the space charge layer, facilitating both the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. This structural optimization endows the black TiO2−x/CuxO/Pt film excellent light harvesting ability in the visible region, making it a promising visible‐light‐responsive photocatalyst. This work is expected to provide insights into the rational construction of nanostructured materials with chiral nematic structure exhibiting improved light harvesting ability.

Slow Photonic Effect Inducing Improved H2 Generation in Photonic Films with Chiral Nematic Structure

“…High‐resolution XPS spectra of Ti 2p region for CN‐TS and CN‐CTS display two peaks representing the spin‐orbit components 2p 3/2 and 2p 1/2 (Figure 5b). [ 63 ] The binding energy of the peaks is located at 465.6 eV and 459.9 eV, which are assigned to Ti 4+ oxidation state (Ti─O─Ti bonding) of TiO 2 . [ 64 ] The binding energy is positively shifted compared to Ti 2p in its anatase crystalline phase.…”

Nanostructured TiO2for improving the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency

“…8e-g). 43 This novel structure can simultaneously enhance the light absorption in the visible light range and improves the light-harvesting ability, which is beneficial for enhancing the photocatalytic H 2 production performance. structures.…”

Abnormal copper coordination obtained by a TiO2 overlayer as the key to enhance photocatalytic hydrogen generation

“…While the development of novel nanostructures, [6][7][8] construction of heterojunctions, 9 induction of oxygen vacancies, 10 or coupling TiO 2 with a promising 2D graphdiyne carbon allotrope 11 have shown effective improvement in photocatalysis, the most widely adopted strategy involves surface coupling with metallic nanoparticles. Noble metals, such as Pt, Pd, and Au, 12 generally exhibit the highest photoactivity due to their intrinsic properties. Recent developments have focused on downsizing these cocatalysts from nanoparticles to single atoms, aiming to modify their electronic properties, although this approach has encountered certain bottlenecks.…”