Using graphene oxide as a sacrificial support of polyoxotitanium clusters to replicate its two-dimensionality on pure titania photocatalysts
File(s)
Published version
Accepted version
Author(s)
Eslava, S
Reynal, A
Rocha, VG
Barg, S
Saiz, E
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The nanostructure optimisation of metal oxides is of crucial importance to exploit their qualities in artificial photosynthesis, photovoltaics and heterogeneous catalysis. Therefore, it is necessary to find viable and simple fabrication methods to tune their nanostructure. Here we reveal that graphene oxide flakes, known for their nano- and two-dimensionality, can be used as a sacrificial support to replicate their nano- and two-dimensionality in photocatalytic titania. This is demonstrated in the calcination of Ti16O16(OEt)32 polyoxotitanium clusters together with graphene oxide flakes, which results in pure titania nanoflakes of <10 nm titania nanoparticles in a two-dimensional arrangement. These titania nanoflakes outperform the titania prepared from only Ti16O16(OEt)32 clusters by a factor of forty in the photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol suspensions, as well as the benchmark P25 titania by a factor of five. These outcomes reveal the advantage of using polyoxotitanium clusters with graphene oxide and open a new avenue for the exploitation of the vast variety of polyoxometalate clusters as precursors in catalysis and photovoltaics, as well as the use of graphene oxide as a sacrificial support for nanostructure optimisation.
Date Issued
2016-05-21
Date Acceptance
2016-03-04
Citation
Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2016, 4, pp.7200-7206
ISSN
2050-7496
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
7200
End Page
7206
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume
4
Copyright Statement
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.
License URL
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Commission of the European Communities
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
301909
EP/K016792/1
PIEF-GA-2012-329945
EP/K01658X/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Physical
Energy & Fuels
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
Materials Science
INORGANIC MATERIALS
HYDROGEN-PRODUCTION
NMR-SPECTROSCOPY
HYBRID MATERIALS
WATER OXIDATION
KEGGIN FAMILY
METAL
CAGES
PRECURSOR
NANOCOMPOSITES
Notes
crosscheck: This document is CrossCheck deposited related_data: Supplementary Information identifier: Salvador Eslava (ResearcherID) copyright_licence: The Royal Society of Chemistry has an exclusive publication licence for this journal copyright_licence: The accepted version of this article will be made freely available in the Chemical Sciences Article Repository after a 12 month embargo period history: Received 7 December 2015; Accepted 4 March 2016; Accepted Manuscript published 7 March 2016; Advance Article published 15 March 2016
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-03-07