Efficient noble-metal-free γ-Fe₂O₃@NiO core-shell nanostructured photocatalysts for water oxidation

Flowerlike noble-metal-free γ-Fe2O3@NiO core-shell hierarchical nanostructures have been fabricated and examined as a catalyst in the photocatalytic oxidation of water with [Ru(bpy)3](ClO4)2 as a photosensitizer and Na2S2O8 as a sacrificial electron acceptor. An apparent TOF of 0.29 μmols(-1) m(-2) and oxygen yield of 51% were obtained with γ-Fe2O3@NiO. The γ-Fe2O3@NiO core-shell hierarchical nanostructures could be easily separated from the reaction solution whilst maintaining excellent water-oxidation activity in the fourth and fifth runs. The surface conditions of γ-Fe2O3@NiO also remained unchanged after the photocatalytic reaction, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).