Premium
Nanocomposites of Tantalum‐Based Pyrochlore and Indium Hydroxide Showing High and Stable Photocatalytic Activities for Overall Water Splitting and Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Author(s) -
Hsieh MengChun,
Wu GuanChang,
Liu WeiGuang,
Goddard William A.,
Yang ChiaMin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201408868
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , pyrochlore , water splitting , catalysis , inorganic chemistry , materials science , methanol , hydrogen production , nanocomposite , nanoparticle , tantalum , chemical engineering , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , engineering , metallurgy , phase (matter)
Nanocomposites of tantalum‐based pyrochlore nanoparticles and indium hydroxide were prepared by a hydrothermal process for UV‐driven photocatalytic reactions including overall water splitting, hydrogen production from photoreforming of methanol, and CO 2 reduction with water to produce CO. The best catalyst was more than 20 times more active than sodium tantalate in overall water splitting and 3 times more active than Degussa P25 TiO 2 in CO 2 reduction. Moreover, the catalyst was very stable while generating stoichiometric products of H 2 (or CO) and O 2 throughout long‐term photocatalytic reactions. After the removal of In(OH) 3 , the pyrochlore nanoparticles remained highly active for H 2 production from pure water and aqueous methanol solution. Both experimental studies and density functional theory calculations suggest that the pyrochlore nanoparticles catalyzed the water reduction to produce H 2 , whereas In(OH) 3 was the major active component for water oxidation to produce O 2 .