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Solar Water Oxidation by a Visible‐Light‐Responsive Tantalum/Nitrogen‐Codoped Rutile Titania Anode for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting and Carbon Dioxide Fixation
Author(s) -
Nakada Akinobu,
Uchiyama Tomoki,
Kawakami Nozomi,
Sahara Go,
Nishioka Shunta,
Kamata Ryutaro,
Kumagai Hiromu,
Ishitani Osamu,
Uchimoto Yoshiharu,
Maeda Kazuhiko
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemphotochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.13
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 2367-0932
DOI - 10.1002/cptc.201800157
Subject(s) - water splitting , visible spectrum , rutile , materials science , photocurrent , titanium dioxide , photochemistry , photocathode , photoelectrochemistry , anode , photoelectrochemical cell , anatase , oxygen evolution , solar fuel , electrolysis of water , cathode , inorganic chemistry , photocatalysis , chemical engineering , catalysis , electrochemistry , chemistry , electrode , electrolyte , electrolysis , optoelectronics , electron , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , metallurgy
Non‐oxide materials such as oxynitrides are good candidates as photoanodes for visible‐light‐driven water oxidation, but most of them suffer from oxidative degradation by photogenerated holes, resulting in low stability. Herein we developed a photoanode using a visible‐light‐responsive TiO 2 powder doped with tantalum and nitrogen (TiO 2 :Ta/N) for water oxidation. The Ta/N codoping enabled a stable anodic photocurrent response attributable to water oxidation under visible‐light irradiation. Surface modification of the TiO 2 :Ta/N anode with RuO x species further facilitated water oxidation catalysis, achieving stable O 2 evolution over 5 h of operation with no sign of deactivation. Operando XAFS measurements revealed an important function of the RuO x species as a collector of photogenerated holes in TiO 2 :Ta/N, facilitating the photoelectrochemical water oxidation. Visible‐light‐driven H 2 evolution and solar‐driven CO 2 reduction into CO were both achieved by using water as an electron donor in photoelectrochemical cells with the TiO 2 :Ta/N photoanode coupled to a Pt cathode and a Ru(II)–Re(I) binuclear complex photocathode, respectively.