Oxygen Vacancy Formation at Metal‒TiO₂ Interface Yielding Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation

Strong Metal-Support Interaction (SMSI) is a key concept in heterogeneous catalysis, but it remains underexplored in the context of photon-to-hydrogen conversion, as coupling of metallic nanoparticles with photocatalysts is overlooked and only discussed in terms of Schottky barrier formation. In this study, we provide deep insights into the effect of Au encapsulation with TiO₂ overlayer on enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Our findings reveal that the construction of a SMSI-like nanostructure induces the formation of oxygen vacancies at the Au‒TiO₂ interface which actively facilitate charge carrier separation through interfacial band reconstruction. The presence of defects is evidenced by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, unveiling their relationship with photocatalytic activities. Consistent with experimental results, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that Au promotes oxygen vacancy formation. These vacancies located at the TiO₂ surface significantly enhances H₂O and MeOH adsorption during H₂ evolution reactions. The SMSI-like concept was extended to Pt, Pd, and Ag, in which the oxygen vacancy formation energy at the metal-semiconductor interface varied depending on the metal, as computed by DFT. The results suggest that photocatalytic activity is related to the ease of oxygen vacancy formation, which is influenced by the nature of the metals.