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Structure‐Activity Relationship in a Cobalt Aluminate Nanoparticle Cocatalyst with a Graphitic Carbon Nitride Photocatalyst for Visible‐Light Water Oxidation
Author(s) -
Kanazawa Tomoki,
Yamaguchi Ryusei,
Uchiyama Tomoki,
Lu Daling,
Nozawa Shunsuke,
Uchimoto Yoshiharu,
Maeda Kazuhiko
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemphotochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.13
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 2367-0932
DOI - 10.1002/cptc.202000086
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , graphitic carbon nitride , nanoparticle , spinel , materials science , visible spectrum , cobalt , nitride , chemical engineering , aluminate , catalysis , chemistry , nanotechnology , metallurgy , organic chemistry , optoelectronics , layer (electronics) , cement , engineering
Development of a visible‐light‐driven water oxidation system utilizing a photocatalyst that consists only of earth‐abundant elements is a challenge in artificial photosynthesis. Here the structure of nanoparticulate cobalt aluminate spinel (CoAl 2 O 4 ) dispersed on a graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ) photocatalyst was studied by electron microscopy and X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy. The CoAl 2 O 4 nanoparticle, which is a good cocatalyst for visible‐light water oxidation on the g‐C 3 N 4 photocatalyst, was loaded onto the photocatalyst by a reverse micelle method using Co(NO 3 ) 2 ⋅ 6H 2 O and Al(NO) 3 ⋅ 9H 2 O as precursors, followed by heating at elevated temperatures in air. The O 2 evolution activity was enhanced with increasing the heating temperature, reaching a plateau at 573–673 K, beyond which it decreased. Physicochemical analyses indicated that the formation of CoAl 2 O 4 spinel nanoparticles with a minimal extent of aggregation was the key factor to obtain high water oxidation activity.