Fabrication of efficient TiO2-RGO heterojunction composites for hydrogen generation via water-splitting: Comparison between RGO, Au and Pt reduction sites

作者：El Bery Haitham M^*; Matsushita Yoshihisa; Abdel moneim Ahmed

来源：Applied Surface Science, 2017, 423: 185-196.

DOI：10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.06.130

• TiO2/RGO
• p-n Heterojuntion
• Photocurrent response
• Water-splitting
• Reduction sites

A facile one-step synthesis approach of M/TiO2/RGO (M = Au or Pt) ternary composite by hydrothermal treatment for hydrogen generation via water-splitting was investigated. Photocurrent response measurements revealed that TiO2 (P25) nanoparticles anchored on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) surface exhibited a p-n heterojunction interface by changing the photocurrent direction with the applied bias from reverse to forward potential. H-2 evolution rate of TiO2/RGO (5 wt.%) composite was substantially enhanced by 12-fold in comparison to bare TiO2 under simulated solar light irradiation. Cyclic volatmmetry measurements manifested, that the optimized 0.3 wt.% of platinum metal loaded on TiO2/RGO composite was the most active catalytic reduction sites for hydrogen generation reaction with an initial hydrogen rate of 670 mu mol h(-1). This study sheds the light on the tunable semiconductor type of TiO2/RGO composite fabricated by solution mixing pathway and its merits to improve the photocatalytic activity.

• 出版日期2017-11-30