Improving water splitting using RuO2-Zr/Na2Ti6O13 as a photocatalyst

Na2Ti6O13 and Zr/Na2Ti6O13 prepared by the sol-gel method and impregnated with different amounts of RuO2 (0.1-10 wt%) were evaluated as photocatalysts for water splitting. The calcined materials at 800 degrees C were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), N-2 physisorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The physicochemical characterization confirmed that both materials had the tunnel structure. However, the Zr/Na2Ti6O13 sample revealed high Zr dispersion. The ideal amount of RuO2 to load the samples with was shown to be 2.0 wt %, which produced hydrogen at a rate of 265 mu mol h(-1). The apparent quantum yield efficiency was 21%. The improvement on the catalytic activity of the impregnated materials suggested a synergistic effect between the Zr and RuO2, which acted like an electron trap. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.