Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts
Herein, the UV light photocatalytic activity of an Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-rGO nanocomposite comprising 1 wt% rGO, 0.05 wt% Au<sub>101</sub>(PPh<sub>3</sub>)<sub>21</sub>Cl<sub>5</sub> (Au<sub>101</sub>...
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/20/3638 |
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| author | Hanieh Mousavi Thomas D. Small Shailendra K. Sharma Vladimir B. Golovko Cameron J. Shearer Gregory F. Metha |
| author_facet | Hanieh Mousavi Thomas D. Small Shailendra K. Sharma Vladimir B. Golovko Cameron J. Shearer Gregory F. Metha |
| author_sort | Hanieh Mousavi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Herein, the UV light photocatalytic activity of an Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-rGO nanocomposite comprising 1 wt% rGO, 0.05 wt% Au<sub>101</sub>(PPh<sub>3</sub>)<sub>21</sub>Cl<sub>5</sub> (Au<sub>101</sub>NC), and AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> evaluated for H<sub>2</sub> production. The synthesis of Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-rGO nanocomposite followed two distinct routes: (1) Au<sub>101</sub>NC was first mixed with AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> followed by the addition of rGO (Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>:rGO) and (2) Au<sub>101</sub>NC was first mixed with rGO followed by the addition of AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> (Au<sub>101</sub>NC-rGO:AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>). Both prepared samples were annealed in air at 210 °C for 15 min. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy showed that the Au<sub>101</sub>NC adhered almost exclusively to the rGO in the nanocomposite and maintained a size less than 2 nm. Under UV light irradiation, the Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>:rGO nanocomposite produced H<sub>2</sub> at a rate 12 times greater than Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> and 64 times greater than AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the small particle size and high loading of Au<sub>101</sub>NC, which is achieved by non-covalent binding to rGO. These results show that significant improvements can be made to AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-based photocatalysts that use cluster co-catalysts by the addition of rGO as an electron mediator to achieve high cluster loading and limited agglomeration of the clusters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:40:32Z |
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| id | doaj.art-7823cbbd3ffe47198a4854f2d85886a2 |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:40:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-7823cbbd3ffe47198a4854f2d85886a22023-11-24T01:40:46ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912022-10-011220363810.3390/nano12203638Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-CatalystsHanieh Mousavi0Thomas D. Small1Shailendra K. Sharma2Vladimir B. Golovko3Cameron J. Shearer4Gregory F. Metha5Department of Chemistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaThe MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New ZealandThe MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New ZealandDepartment of Chemistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaHerein, the UV light photocatalytic activity of an Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-rGO nanocomposite comprising 1 wt% rGO, 0.05 wt% Au<sub>101</sub>(PPh<sub>3</sub>)<sub>21</sub>Cl<sub>5</sub> (Au<sub>101</sub>NC), and AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> evaluated for H<sub>2</sub> production. The synthesis of Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-rGO nanocomposite followed two distinct routes: (1) Au<sub>101</sub>NC was first mixed with AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> followed by the addition of rGO (Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>:rGO) and (2) Au<sub>101</sub>NC was first mixed with rGO followed by the addition of AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> (Au<sub>101</sub>NC-rGO:AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>). Both prepared samples were annealed in air at 210 °C for 15 min. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy showed that the Au<sub>101</sub>NC adhered almost exclusively to the rGO in the nanocomposite and maintained a size less than 2 nm. Under UV light irradiation, the Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>:rGO nanocomposite produced H<sub>2</sub> at a rate 12 times greater than Au<sub>101</sub>NC-AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub> and 64 times greater than AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the small particle size and high loading of Au<sub>101</sub>NC, which is achieved by non-covalent binding to rGO. These results show that significant improvements can be made to AlSrTiO<sub>3</sub>-based photocatalysts that use cluster co-catalysts by the addition of rGO as an electron mediator to achieve high cluster loading and limited agglomeration of the clusters.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/20/3638gold nanoclusterreduced graphene oxideSrTiO<sub>3</sub>photocatalysishydrogen evolution reaction |
| spellingShingle | Hanieh Mousavi Thomas D. Small Shailendra K. Sharma Vladimir B. Golovko Cameron J. Shearer Gregory F. Metha Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts Nanomaterials gold nanocluster reduced graphene oxide SrTiO<sub>3</sub> photocatalysis hydrogen evolution reaction |
| title | Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts |
| title_full | Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts |
| title_fullStr | Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts |
| title_short | Graphene Bridge for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Gold Nanocluster Co-Catalysts |
| title_sort | graphene bridge for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with gold nanocluster co catalysts |
| topic | gold nanocluster reduced graphene oxide SrTiO<sub>3</sub> photocatalysis hydrogen evolution reaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/20/3638 |
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