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Preparation and Use of Photocatalytically Active Segmented Ag|ZnO and Coaxial TiO2-Ag Nanowires Made by Templated Electrodeposition
Published on: May 2, 2014
Oxysulfide Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) as a stable photocatalyst for water oxidation and reduction under visible light
Akio Ishikawa1, Tsuyoshi Takata, Junko N Kondo
1Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan.
Abstract:
A Ti-based oxysulfide, Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5), was studied as a visible light-driven photocatalyst. Under visible light (440 nm < or = lambda < or = 650 nm) irradiation, Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) with a band gap of approximately 2 eV evolved H(2) or O(2) from aqueous solutions containing a sacrificial electron donor (Na(2)S-Na(2)SO(3) or methanol) or acceptor (Ag(+)) without any noticeable degradation. This oxysulfide is, therefore, a stable photocatalyst with strong reduction and oxidation abilities under visible-light irradiation. The electronic band structure of Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) was calculated using the plane-wave-based density functional theory (DFT) program. It was elucidated that the S3p orbitals constitute the upper part of the valence band and these orbitals make an essential contribution to the small band gap energy. The conduction and valence bands' positions of Sm(2)Ti(2)S(2)O(5) were also determined by electrochemical measurements. It indicated that conduction and valence bands were found to have satisfactory potentials for the reduction of H(+) to H(2) and the oxidation of H(2)O to O(2) at pH = 8. This is consistent with the results of the photocatalytic reactions.
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