Effect of HF treatment on the activity of TiO2 thing films for photocatalytic water splitting

The effects of HF treatment on the activity of TiO2 thin films for the photocatalytic water splitting reaction have been investigated. TiO2 thin films treated with HF solution (HF-TiO2) were found to exhibit a remarkable enhancement of the photocatalytic activity for H-2 evolution from a methanol aqueous solution, as well as efficient photoelectrochemical performance under UV light irradiation as compared with the untreated TiO2. Moreover, Pt-loaded HF-TiO2 thin films were found to act as efficient and stable photocatalysts for the decomposition of water under UV light irradiation. The mechanistic insights obtained in the present study will be useful in the design of highly efficient photocatalysts for the decomposition of water.