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Concurrent Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation and Dye Degradation Using MIL‐125‐NH 2 under Visible Light Irradiation
Author(s) -
Kampouri Stavroula,
Nguyen Tu N.,
Spodaryk Mariana,
Palgrave Robert G.,
Züttel Andreas,
Smit Berend,
Stylianou Kyriakos C.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201806368
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , rhodamine b , materials science , catalysis , visible spectrum , metal organic framework , photochemistry , triethylamine , non blocking i/o , hydrogen production , water splitting , photocatalytic water splitting , electron donor , adsorption , chemistry , organic chemistry , optoelectronics
Abstract The impact of different transition metal‐based co‐catalysts toward photocatalytic water reduction when they are physically mixed with visible‐light active MIL‐125‐NH 2 is first systematically studied. All co‐catalyst/MIL‐125‐NH 2 photocatalytic systems are found to be highly stable after photocatalysis, with the NiO/MIL‐125‐NH 2 and Ni 2 P/MIL‐125‐NH 2 systems exhibiting high hydrogen (H 2 ) evolution rates of 1084 and 1230 µmol h −1 g −1 , respectively. Second, how different electron donors affect the stability and H 2 generation rate of the best Ni 2 P/MIL‐125‐NH 2 system is investigated and it is found that triethylamine fulfils both requirements. Then, the electron donor is replaced with rhodamine B (RhB), a dye that is commonly used as a simulant organic pollutant, with the aim of integrating the photocatalytic H 2 generation with the degradation of RhB in a single process. This is of supreme importance as replacing the costly (and toxic) electron donors with hazardous molecules present in wastewater makes it possible to oxidize organic pollutants and produce H 2 simultaneously. This is the first study where a metal–organic framework (MOF) system is used for this dual‐photocatalytic activity under visible light illumination and the proof‐of‐concept approach envisions a sustainable waste‐water remediation process driven by the abundant solar energy, while H 2 is produced, captured, and further utilized.