New Photocatalyst for the Generation of Environmentally Friendly Fuel Using Visible Solar Spectrum

Wide band gap semiconductor photocatalysts, such as titanium dioxide, along with a metal co-catalyst have been used to generate hydrogen fuel from water. However, ultraviolet light is required, which limits their utility in solar energy conversion. Modification of these types of semiconductors can sensitize them to visible light, providing a promising way to create clean, renewable hydrogen fuel.  Many photocatalysts suffer from poor hydrogen production efficiencies under visible light, due to inadequate visible light absorption. In this research, co-precipitating [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ sensitizer dye molecules into nanosheet agglomerates provides a new way to modify porous oxide (POX) photocatalysts. A series of dye-sensitized POX materials have been synthesized from KTiNbO₅, KNb₃O₈ and K₄Nb₆O₁₇. These materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM and EDS and water photolysis.