Cooperative Coupling of Oxidative Organic Synthesis and Hydrogen Production over Semiconductor-Based Photocatalysts.

Merging hydrogen (H2) evolution with oxidative organic synthesis in a semiconductor-mediated photoredox reaction is extremely attractive because the clean H2 fuel and high-value chemicals can be coproduced under mild conditions using light as the sole energy input. Following this dual-functional photocatalytic strategy, a dreamlike reaction pathway for constructing C-C/C-X (X = C, N, O, S) bonds from abundant and readily available X-H bond-containing compounds with concomitant release of H2 can be readily fulfilled without the need of external chemical reagents, thus offering a green and fascinating organic synthetic strategy. In this review, we begin by presenting a concise overview on the general background of traditional photocatalytic H2 production and then focus on the fundamental principles of cooperative photoredox coupling of selective organic synthesis and H2 production by simultaneous utilization of photoexcited electrons and holes over semiconductor-based catalysts to meet the economic and sustainability goal. Thereafter, we put dedicated emphasis on recent key progress of cooperative photoredox coupling of H2 production and various selective organic transformations, including selective alcohol oxidation, selective methane conversion, amines oxidative coupling, oxidative cross-coupling, cyclic alkanes dehydrogenation, reforming of lignocellulosic biomass, and so on. Finally, the remaining challenges and future perspectives in this flourishing area have been critically discussed. It is anticipated that this review will provide enlightening guidance on the rational design of such dual-functional photoredox reaction system, thereby stimulating the development of economical and environmentally benign solar fuel generation and organic synthesis of value-added fine chemicals.

Plasma-Enhanced Chemical-Vapor-Deposition Synthesis of Photoredox-Active Nitrogen-Doped Carbon from NH3 and CH4 Gases.

Earth's primordial atmosphere was rich in ammonia and methane. To understand the evolution of the atmosphere, these two gases were used to make photoredox-active nitrogen-doped carbon (NDC). Photocatalysts such as NDC might play an important role in the development of geological and atmospheric chemistry during the Archean era. This study describes the synthesis of NDC directly from NH3 and CH4 gases. The photocatalyst product can be used to selectively synthesize imines by photo-oxidization of amines, producing H2 O2 simultaneously in the photoreduction reaction. Our findings shed light on the chemical evolution of the Earth.

Carbon Nitride Aerogels for the Photoredox Conversion of Water.

Aerogel structures have attracted increasing research interest in energy storage and conversion owing to their unique structural features, and a variety of materials have been engineered into aerogels, including carbon-based materials, metal oxides, linear polymers and even metal chalcogenides. However, manufacture of aerogels from nitride-based materials, particularly the emerging light-weight carbon nitride (CN) semiconductors is rarely reported. Here, we develop a facile method based on self-assembly to produce self-supported CN aerogels, without using any cross-linking agents. The combination of large surface area, incorporated functional groups and three-dimensional (3D) network structure, endows the resulting freestanding aerogels with high photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution and H2 O2 production under visible light irradiation. This work presents a simple colloid chemistry strategy to construct 3D CN aerogel networks that shows great potential for solar-to-chemical energy conversion by artificial photosynthesis.

A Brown Mesoporous TiO2-x /MCF Composite with an Extremely High Quantum Yield of Solar Energy Photocatalysis for H2 Evolution.

A brown mesoporous TiO2-x /MCF composite with a high fluorine dopant concentration (8.01 at%) is synthesized by a vacuum activation method. It exhibits an excellent solar absorption and a record-breaking quantum yield (Φ = 46%) and a high photon-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency (η = 34%,) for solar photocatalytic H2 production, which are all higher than that of the black hydrogen-doped TiO2 (Φ = 35%, η = 24%). The MCFs serve to improve the adsorption of F atoms onto the TiO2 /MCF composite surface, which after the formation of oxygen vacancies by vacuum activation, facilitate the abundant substitution of these vacancies with F atoms. The decrease of recombination sites induced by high-concentration F doping and the synergistic effect between lattice Ti(3+)-F and surface Ti(3+)-F are responsible for the enhanced lifetime of electrons, the observed excellent absorption of solar light, and the photocatalytic production of H2 for these catalysts. The as-prepared F-doped composite is an ideal solar light-driven photocatalyst with great potential for applications ranging from the remediation of environmental pollution to the harnessing of solar energy for H2 production.

Recent advances in visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for hydrogen production and solar energy conversion--from semiconducting TiO2 to MOF/PCP photocatalysts.

The present perspective describes recent advances in visible-light-responsive photocatalysts intended to develop novel and efficient solar energy conversion technologies, including water splitting and photofuel cells. Water splitting is recognized as one of the most promising techniques to convert solar energy as a clean and abundant energy resource into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. In recent years, increasing concern is directed to not only the development of new photocatalytic materials but also the importance of technologies to produce hydrogen and oxygen separately. Photofuel cells can convert solar energy into electrical energy by decomposing bio-related compounds and livestock waste as fuels. The advances of photocatalysts enabling these solar energy conversion technologies have been going on since the discovery of semiconducting titanium dioxide materials and have extended to organic-inorganic hybrid materials, such as metal-organic frameworks and porous coordination polymers (MOF/PCP).

Salt-Melt Synthesis of Poly Heptazine Imides with Enhanced Optical Absorption for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Broadening the visible light absorption range and accelerating the separation and migration process of charge carriers are effective ways to improve photocatalytic quantum efficiencies. In this study, we show that poly heptazine imides with enhanced optical absorption and promoted charge carrier separation and migration could be obtained by means of a rational design of the band structures and crystallinity of polymeric carbon nitride. Copolymerization of urea with monomers such as 2-aminothiophene-3-carbonitrile would first generate amorphous melon with enhanced optical absorption, while further ionothermal treatment of melon in eutectic salts would increase the polymerization degree and create condensed poly heptazine imides as final products. Accordingly, the optimized poly heptazine imide presents an apparent quantum yield of 12 % at 420 nm for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

High-performance potassium poly(heptazine imide) films for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an appealing approach by which to convert solar energy into hydrogen fuel. Polymeric semiconductors have recently attracted intense interest of many scientists for PEC water splitting. The crystallinity of polymer films is regarded as the main factor that determines the conversion efficiency. Herein, potassium poly(heptazine) imide (K-PHI) films with improved crystallinity were in situ prepared on a conductive substrate as a photoanode for solar-driven water splitting. A remarkable photocurrent density of ca. 0.80 mA cm-2 was achieved under air mass 1.5 global illumination without the use of any sacrificial agent, a performance that is ca. 20 times higher than that of the photoanode in an amorphous state, and higher than those of other related polymeric photoanodes. The boosted performance can be attributed to improved charge transfer, which has been investigated using steady state and operando approaches. This work elucidates the pivotal importance of the crystallinity of conjugated polymer semiconductors for PEC water splitting and other advanced photocatalytic applications.

Incorporation of arene metal carbonyl complexes within inorganic-organic hybrid mesoporous materials by CVD method.

Simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of M(CO), (M = Cr, Mo, W) onto phenylene- and biphenylene-bridged organosilica mesoporous materials (HMM-ph, HMM-biph) led to the efficient formation of C6H4M(CO)3 and (C6H4)2M(CO)3 complexes, respectively, which are directly fixed and incorporated within the framework structure of HMM-ph and HMM-biph having molecular-scale periodicity in the pore walls. FT-IR investigations revealed that thus formed C6H4M(CO), or (C6H4)2M(CO)3 complexes are thermally stable even under thermovacuum treatment at 473 K.

Rationally designed transition metal hydroxide nanosheet arrays on graphene for artificial CO2 reduction.

The performance of transition metal hydroxides, as cocatalysts for CO2 photoreduction, is significantly limited by their inherent weaknesses of poor conductivity and stacked structure. Herein, we report the rational assembly of a series of transition metal hydroxides on graphene to act as a cocatalyst ensemble for efficient CO2 photoreduction. In particular, with the Ru-dye as visible light photosensitizer, hierarchical Ni(OH)2 nanosheet arrays-graphene (Ni(OH)2-GR) composites exhibit superior photoactivity and selectivity, which remarkably surpass other counterparts and most of analogous hybrid photocatalyst system. The origin of such superior performance of Ni(OH)2-GR is attributed to its appropriate synergy on the enhanced adsorption of CO2, increased active sites for CO2 reduction and improved charge carriers separation/transfer. This work is anticipated to spur rationally designing efficient earth-abundant transition metal hydroxides-based cocatalysts on graphene and other two-dimension platforms for artificial reduction of CO2 to solar chemicals and fuels.

Preparation and photocatalytic properties of Fe3+-doped Ag@TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles.

Ag@TiO2 core-shell-type nanophotocatalysts have been prepared using a simple and convenient method. The products were characterized by TEM, XRD, and UV-vis spectra. To make the catalysts achieve the highest photocatalytic activity under UV light illumination, the Ag content of Ag@TiO2 was optimized. The results showed that Ag@TiO2-doped Fe3+ extend their absorption into the visible region. Among the Fe3+-doped samples, Ag@Fe-TiO2 with low Ag content showed higher photocatalytic activity under visible light illumination. An excessive added amount of Ag would reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ and make them difficult to be incorporated into the lattice of titania. From the experiments, we found that Fe3+ ions could stabilize the Ag@TiO2 colloid by holding back the aggregation of the core-shell nanoparticles.

Preparation of Ce-TiO2 catalysts by controlled hydrolysis of titanium alkoxide based on esterification reaction and study on its photocatalytic activity.

The Ce-TiO2 catalysts were prepared by controlled hydrolysis of Ti(OC(4)H(9))(4) with water generated "in situ" via an esterification reaction between acetic acid and ethanol, followed by hydrothermal treatment. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic absorption flame emission spectroscopy (AAS), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption methods. Both of undoped TiO2 and Ce-TiO2 samples exclusively consist of primary anatase crystallites, which further form spherical aggregates with diameters ranging from 100 to 500 nm. The photocatalytic activity of Ce-TiO2 was investigated for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RB) aqueous solution both under UV and visible light irradiation. Doping of Ce(4+) effectively improves the photocatalytic activity under both UV light irradiation and visible light irradiation with an optimal doping concentration of 0.2 and 0.4%, respectively. The photocatalytic mechanisms of Ce-TiO2 catalysts were tentatively discussed.

Enhancement of photocatalytic activity of P25 TiO2 by vanadium-ion implantation under visible light irradiation.

An ion-implantation method was used to prepare V-ion-implanted P25 TiO2 photocatalysts. Their photocatalytic activity for the degradation of formic acid under visible light irradiation (lambda>450 nm) was investigated. Upon implantation of V ions into the lattice of P25 TiO2, the photoactivity was remarkably enhanced. HRTEM images showed that the implanted V ions existed in the form of VO2(T) in the lattice of P25 TiO2. The intensity of photoluminescence (PL) spectra of V-ion-implanted P25 TiO2 decreased with the increase of the amount of implanted V ions, indicating the decrease of electron-hole pair recombination. It was also observed that the lower the PL intensity of V-ion-implanted P25 TiO2, the higher the photoactivity.

One-step large-scale highly active g-C3N4 nanosheets for efficient sunlight-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production.

The development of highly active, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and stable g-C3N4 based photocatalysts for H2 evolution is one of the most anticipated potential pathways for future hydrogen utilization. Herein, a facile gaseous bubble template approach was designed to prepare large-scale thin g-C3N4 nanosheets (g-C3N4 NSs) using melamine and ammonium sulphate as the bubble template. Through distinctive structural improvements for a large bandgap, excellent electron mobility, prolonged lifetime of the photogenerated charge carriers and a high specific surface area with highly accessible potential reaction sites, the as-synthesized g-C3N4 NSs demonstrated a high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 9871 µmol h-1 g-1 and efficient photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol under simulated solar light irradiation.

Investigations on the effect of Mn ions on the local structure and photocatalytic activity of Cu(I)-ZSM-5 catalysts.

The introduction of Mn ions into Cu(I)-ZSM-5 was found to lead to an enhancement of the photocatalytic activity for the direct decomposition of N2O into N2 and O2 at 298 K. Various in-situ techniques such as ESR, photoluminescence, XAFS as well as a combination of CO-FT-IR and CO-TPD measurements revealed that the accommodation of Mn ions within ZSM-5 zeolite cavities significantly affects the location sites of the ion-exchanged Cu(II) ions as well as the local structure of the Cu(I) ion species formed by evacuation at high temperatures. Moreover, the introduction of Mn ions into ZSM-5 led to an increase in the amount of 3-coordinated Cu(I) species at the main channel of the zeolite, playing a major role as the active species for the photocatalytic decomposition of N2O into N2 and O2.

Preparation of nitrogen-substituted TiO2 thin film photocatalysts by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposition method and their photocatalytic reactivity under visible light irradiation.

Nitrogen-substituted TiO2 (N-TiO2) thin film photocatalysts have been prepared by a radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) deposition method using a N2/Ar mixture sputtering gas. The effect of the concentration of substituted nitrogen on the characteristics of the N-TiO2 thin films was investigated by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The absorption band of the N-TiO2 thin film was found to shift smoothly to visible light regions up to 550 nm, its extent depending on the concentration of nitrogen substituted within the TiO2 lattice in a range of 2.0-16.5%. The N-TiO2 thin film photocatalyst with a nitrogen concentration of 6.0% exhibited the highest reactivity for the photocatalytic oxidation of 2-propanol diluted in water even under visible (lambda > or = 450 nm) or solar light irradiation. Moreover, N-TiO2 thin film photocatalysts prepared on conducting glass electrodes showed anodic photocurrents attributed to the photooxidation of water under visible light, its extent depending on wavelengths up to 550 nm. The absorbed photon to current conversion efficiencies reached 25.2% and 22.4% under UV (lambda = 360 nm) and visible light (lambda = 420 nm), respectively. UV-vis and photoelectrochemical investigations also confirmed that these thin films remain thermodynamically and mechanically stable even under heat treatment at 673 K. In addition, XPS and XRD studies revealed that a significantly high substitution of the lattice O atoms of the TiO2 with the N atoms plays a crucial role in the band gap narrowing of the TiO2 thin films, enabling them to absorb and operate under visible light irradiation as a highly reactive, effective photocatalyst.

Characterization of the local structures of Ti-MCM-41 and their photocatalytic reactivity for the decomposition of NO into N2 and O2.

Ti-MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieves were prepared at ambient temperature and were characterized by X-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended X-ray absorption fine structure, UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopic analyses. It was found that an increase in the Ti content caused the structure of the Ti-oxides in Ti-MCM-41 to change from an isolated tetrahedral coordination to adjacent Ti-oxide species with Ti4+ of tetrahedral coordination. The photocatalytic reactivity of these catalysts for the decomposition of NO into N2 and O2 was found to strongly depend on the local structure of the Ti-oxide species including their coordination and distribution, i.e., the charge transfer excited state of the highly dispersed isolated tetrahedrally coordinated Ti-oxides act as the active sites for the photocatalytic decomposition of NO into N2 and O2.

Extending the photoresponse of TiO2 to the visible light region: photoelectrochemical behavior of TiO2 thin films prepared by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposition method.

TiO(2) thin films prepared by a radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) deposition method were found to show an enhanced photoelectrochemical response in the visible light region. By controlling the temperature and the gaseous medium during the deposition step, it was possible to control the properties of these films. The photoelectrochemical behavior of the sputtered TiO(2) thin films was compared with that of a commercial TiO(2) sample, and the sputtered films showed higher incident photon to the charge carrier generation efficiency (IPCE of 12.6% at 350 nm) as well as power conversion efficiency (0.33% at 1.84 mW/cm(2)) than the commercial TiO(2) sample. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy experiments have revealed that a major fraction of photogenerated electrons and holes recombine within a few picoseconds, thus limiting photocurrent generation efficiency. The mechanistic insights obtained in the present study should aid in designing semiconductor nanostructures that will maximize the charge separation efficiency and extend the response of the large band gap semiconductor TiO(2) into visible light regions.

Single-site photocatalytic solids for the decomposition of undesirable molecules.

Photocatalytic solids, in which the absorption occurs at isolated, spatially well-separated centres, are particularly useful catalysts for effecting reactions that are of prime importance in both remedial and preparative contexts. These are qualities that they share with single-site (thermally-activated) heterogeneous catalysts; but they have the added advantage of being more readily probed during the actual processes of catalytic turnover, since they generally function under ambient conditions, unlike most conventional solid catalysts which usually operate at elevated pressures and temperatures. Thus, they are amenable to investigation by (in situ) X-ray absorption (XAFS), FT-IR, UV-Vis, and EPR spectroscopic studies as well as to photoluminescence measurement. This affords greater insight into the mechanisms of the photocatalytic reactions as we illustrate in this short review. Open-structure solids such as mesoporous silica and zeolitic aluminosilicates offer a generally applicable strategy to design new single-site photocatalysts such as those described here for the decomposition of NO to N2 and O2 and for the selective oxidation of CO in the presence of H2.

Influences of acids and salts on the crystalline phase and morphology of TiO2 prepared under ultrasound irradiation.

Nanocrystalline TiO2 powders were rapidly prepared by hydrolysis of Ti(OC4H9)4 under ultrasound irradiation. The influences of acids (HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4) and their corresponding salts (NaCl, KNO3, and Na2SO4) on the crystalline phase and morphology of products were investigated, respectively. Compared with NaCl and KNO3 that show no evident influence on the crystalline phase, HCl and HNO3 have a decisive influence on the crystalline phase of the products. However, both H2SO4 and Na2SO4 are favorable for the formation of anatase. By adjusting the concentration of SO2-(4) in the reaction medium, the contents of anatase and rutile phases in the TiO2 powders can be successfully controlled. The morphology of TiO2 crystallites are shown to be strongly related to the type of acid used in the reaction medium.