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Broadband Light Harvesting and Unidirectional Electron Flow for Efficient Electron Accumulation for Hydrogen Generation
Author(s) -
Zhang Nan,
Qi MingYu,
Yuan Lan,
Fu Xianzhi,
Tang ZiRong,
Gong Jinlong,
Xu YiJun
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201905981
Subject(s) - electron , materials science , hydrogen , photochemistry , electron transfer , hydrogen production , nanostructure , secondary electrons , optoelectronics , chemistry , nanotechnology , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The efficiency of solar hydrogen evolution closely depends on the multiple electrons accumulation on the catalytic center for two‐electron‐involved water reduction. Herein, we report an effective approach to enable broadband light absorption and unidirectional electron flow for efficiently accumulating electrons at active sites for hydrogen evolution by rationally engineering the nanostructure of Pt nanoparticles (NPs), TiO 2 , and SiO 2 support. In addition to Schottky‐junction‐driven electron transfer from TiO 2 to Pt, Pt NPs also produce hot electrons by recycling the scattered visible and near‐infrared (vis‐NIR) light of the support. Unidirectional electron flow to active sites is realized by tuning the components spatial distribution. These features collectively accumulate multiple electrons at catalytic Pt sites, thereby affording enhanced activity toward hydrogen evolution under simulated sunlight.