Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles
Composites involving reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were fabricated using a one-pot supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> gelling and drying method, followed by mild reduction under a N<sub>2</sub> atmosphere. Electron mic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/719 |
| _version_ | 1797468263777566720 |
|---|---|
| author | Márta Kubovics Cláudia G. Silva Ana M. López-Periago Joaquim L. Faria Concepción Domingo |
| author_facet | Márta Kubovics Cláudia G. Silva Ana M. López-Periago Joaquim L. Faria Concepción Domingo |
| author_sort | Márta Kubovics |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Composites involving reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were fabricated using a one-pot supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> gelling and drying method, followed by mild reduction under a N<sub>2</sub> atmosphere. Electron microscopy images and N<sub>2</sub> adsorption/desorption isotherms indicate the formation of 3D monolithic aerogels with a meso/macroporous morphology. A comprehensive evaluation of the synthesized photocatalyst was carried out with a focus on the target application: the photocatalytic production of H<sub>2</sub> from methanol in aqueous media. The reaction conditions (water/methanol ratio, catalyst concentration), together with the aerogel composition (Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub>/rGO ratio) and architecture (size of the aerogel pieces), were the factors that varied in optimizing the process. These experimental parameters influenced the diffusion of the reactants/products inside the aerogel, the permeability of the porous structure, and the light-harvesting properties, all determined in this study towards maximizing H<sub>2</sub> production. Using methanol as the sacrificial agent, the measured H<sub>2</sub> production rate for the optimized system (18,800 µmol<sub>H2</sub>h<sup>−1</sup>g<sub>NPs</sub><sup>−1</sup>) was remarkably higher than the values found in the literature for similar Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub>/rGO catalysts and reaction media (2000–10,000 µmol<sub>H2</sub>h<sup>−1</sup>g<sub>NPs</sub><sup>−1</sup>). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:03:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0e8ff26c2644f3d81728d178dd1837c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:03:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0e8ff26c2644f3d81728d178dd1837c2023-11-24T04:46:41ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612022-11-0181171910.3390/gels8110719Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> NanoparticlesMárta Kubovics0Cláudia G. Silva1Ana M. López-Periago2Joaquim L. Faria3Concepción Domingo4Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona, CSIC, Campus UAB s/n, 8193 Bellaterra, SpainLSRE-LCM-Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering–Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalInstituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona, CSIC, Campus UAB s/n, 8193 Bellaterra, SpainLSRE-LCM-Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering–Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalInstituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona, CSIC, Campus UAB s/n, 8193 Bellaterra, SpainComposites involving reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were fabricated using a one-pot supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> gelling and drying method, followed by mild reduction under a N<sub>2</sub> atmosphere. Electron microscopy images and N<sub>2</sub> adsorption/desorption isotherms indicate the formation of 3D monolithic aerogels with a meso/macroporous morphology. A comprehensive evaluation of the synthesized photocatalyst was carried out with a focus on the target application: the photocatalytic production of H<sub>2</sub> from methanol in aqueous media. The reaction conditions (water/methanol ratio, catalyst concentration), together with the aerogel composition (Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub>/rGO ratio) and architecture (size of the aerogel pieces), were the factors that varied in optimizing the process. These experimental parameters influenced the diffusion of the reactants/products inside the aerogel, the permeability of the porous structure, and the light-harvesting properties, all determined in this study towards maximizing H<sub>2</sub> production. Using methanol as the sacrificial agent, the measured H<sub>2</sub> production rate for the optimized system (18,800 µmol<sub>H2</sub>h<sup>−1</sup>g<sub>NPs</sub><sup>−1</sup>) was remarkably higher than the values found in the literature for similar Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub>/rGO catalysts and reaction media (2000–10,000 µmol<sub>H2</sub>h<sup>−1</sup>g<sub>NPs</sub><sup>−1</sup>).https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/719aerogelgraphene oxidesupercritical CO<sub>2</sub>photocatalysisH<sub>2</sub> production |
| spellingShingle | Márta Kubovics Cláudia G. Silva Ana M. López-Periago Joaquim L. Faria Concepción Domingo Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles Gels aerogel graphene oxide supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysis H<sub>2</sub> production |
| title | Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles |
| title_full | Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles |
| title_fullStr | Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles |
| title_short | Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Porous 3D Graphene-Based Aerogels Supporting Pt/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles |
| title_sort | photocatalytic hydrogen production using porous 3d graphene based aerogels supporting pt tio sub 2 sub nanoparticles |
| topic | aerogel graphene oxide supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysis H<sub>2</sub> production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/719 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martakubovics photocatalytichydrogenproductionusingporous3dgraphenebasedaerogelssupportingpttiosub2subnanoparticles AT claudiagsilva photocatalytichydrogenproductionusingporous3dgraphenebasedaerogelssupportingpttiosub2subnanoparticles AT anamlopezperiago photocatalytichydrogenproductionusingporous3dgraphenebasedaerogelssupportingpttiosub2subnanoparticles AT joaquimlfaria photocatalytichydrogenproductionusingporous3dgraphenebasedaerogelssupportingpttiosub2subnanoparticles AT concepciondomingo photocatalytichydrogenproductionusingporous3dgraphenebasedaerogelssupportingpttiosub2subnanoparticles |