Analysis of the factors controlling performances of Au-modified TiO2 nanotube array based photoanode in photo-electrocatalytic(PECa)cells  

作　　者：Claudio Ampelli Francesco Tavella Chiara Genovese Siglinda Perathoner Marco Favaro Gabriele Centi 

机构地区：[1]Department of Chemical,Biological,Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences,University of Messina,ERIC aisbl and CASPE/INSTM,V.le F.Stagno d’Alcontres 31,98166 Messina,Italy [2]Department of Chemical Sciences,University of Padua,via Marzolo 1,35136 Padua,Italy [3]Department of Mathematical,Computer,Physical and Earth Sciences,University of Messina,ERIC aisbl and CASPE/INSTM,V.le F.Stagno d’Alcontres 31,98166 Messina,Italy [4]Advanced Light Source,Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,1 Cyclotron Rd.,M/S 30R0205 Berkeley,CA 94720,USA.

出　　处：《Journal of Energy Chemistry》2017年第2期284-294,共11页能源化学（英文版）

基　　金：The TERRA(Tandem Electrocatalytic Reactor for energy/Resource efficiency and process intensification,H2020 project 677471);Eco~2CO_2(Eco-friendly biorefinery fine chemicals from CO_2 photo-catalytic reduction,FP7 project 309701)

摘　　要：The efficiency of photo-electrocatalytic（PECa） devices for the production of solar fuels depends on several limiting factors such as light harvesting, charge recombination and mass transport diffusion. We analyse here how they influence the performances in PECa cells having a photo-anode based on Au-modified TiOnanotube（TNT） arrays, with the aim of developing design criteria to optimize the photo-anode and the PECa cell configuration for water photo-electrolysis（splitting） and ethanol photo-reforming processes.The TNT samples were prepared by controlled anodic oxidation of Ti foils and then decorated with gold nanoparticles using different techniques to enhance the visible light response through heterojunction and plasmonic effects. The activity tests were made in a gas-phase reactor, as well as in a PECa cell without applied bias. Results were analysed in terms of photo-generated current, Hproduction rate and photoconversion efficiency. Particularly, a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 0.83% and a Faradaic efficiency of 91%were obtained without adding sacrificial reagents.The efficiency of photo-electrocatalytic(PECa) devices for the production of solar fuels depends on several limiting factors such as light harvesting, charge recombination and mass transport diffusion. We analyse here how they influence the performances in PECa cells having a photo-anode based on Au-modified TiO_2 nanotube(TNT) arrays, with the aim of developing design criteria to optimize the photo-anode and the PECa cell configuration for water photo-electrolysis(splitting) and ethanol photo-reforming processes.The TNT samples were prepared by controlled anodic oxidation of Ti foils and then decorated with gold nanoparticles using different techniques to enhance the visible light response through heterojunction and plasmonic effects. The activity tests were made in a gas-phase reactor, as well as in a PECa cell without applied bias. Results were analysed in terms of photo-generated current, H_2 production rate and photoconversion efficiency. Particularly, a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 0.83% and a Faradaic efficiency of 91%were obtained without adding sacrificial reagents.

关 键 词：H2 production Au nanoparticles Solar fuels TiO2 nanotubes ELECTRODEPOSITION Photoelectrochemical cells(PEC) Solar-to-hydrogen efficiency Anodic oxidation 

分 类 号：O643.36[理学—物理化学] TB383.1[理学—化学]