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Title: Flux Synthesis, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of n-type Sn2TiO4: Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution under Visible Light

Abstract

Here, the n-type Sn2TiO4 phase was synthesized using flux methods and found to have one of the smallest visible-light bandgap sizes known that also maintains suitable conduction and valence band energies for driving photocatalytic water-splitting reactions. The Sn2TiO4 phase was synthesized using either a SnCl2 flux or a SnCl2/SnF2 peritectic flux in a 2:1 flux-to-precursor ratio heated at 600 and 400 °C for 24 h, respectively. The two types of salt fluxes resulted in large rod-shaped particles at 600 °C and smaller tetragonal prism-shaped particles at 400 °C. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements produced a negative photovoltage under illumination >1.50 eV, which confirmed electrons as the majority charge carriers and ~1.50 eV as the effective band gap. Mott–Schottky measurements at pH 9.0 showed the conduction (–0.54 V vs NHE) and valence band (+1.01 V vs NHE) positions meet the critical thermodynamic requirements for total water splitting. The Sn2TiO4 particles were deposited and annealed as polycrystalline films on FTO slides, and exhibited photoanodic currents in aqueous solutions under visible-light irradiation. The Sn2TiO4 particles were also suspended in aqueous methanol solutions and irradiated with visible and ultraviolet light. The larger rod-shaped Sn2TiO4 particles had the higher rates of photocatalytic hydrogen production (~11.6 μmolmore » H2 h–1) in comparison to the smaller tetragonal prism-shaped Sn2TiO4 particles (~3.4 μmol H2 h–1). Conversely, for photocatalytic oxygen production, the rates for the smaller tetragonal prism-shaped particles in aqueous AgNO3 solution were slightly higher (~16.3 μmol O2 h–1) than for the larger rod-shaped particles (~11.9 μmol O2 h–1). Apparent quantum yields of 0.995% and 0.0098% were measured for O2 and H2 production, respectively, under 435 nm light.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
  3. Allegheny College, Meadville, PA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); State of North Carolina
OSTI Identifier:
1534436
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0015329
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Chemistry of Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 28; Journal Issue: 24; Journal ID: ISSN 0897-4756
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Chemistry; Materials science; Oxygen; Oxides; Fluxes; Electrical conductivity; Irradiation

Citation Formats

Boltersdorf, Jonathan, Sullivan, Ian, Shelton, Timothy L., Wu, Zongkai, Gray, Matthew, Zoellner, Brandon, Osterloh, Frank E., and Maggard, Paul A. Flux Synthesis, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of n-type Sn2TiO4: Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution under Visible Light. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02003.
Boltersdorf, Jonathan, Sullivan, Ian, Shelton, Timothy L., Wu, Zongkai, Gray, Matthew, Zoellner, Brandon, Osterloh, Frank E., & Maggard, Paul A. Flux Synthesis, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of n-type Sn2TiO4: Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution under Visible Light. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02003
Boltersdorf, Jonathan, Sullivan, Ian, Shelton, Timothy L., Wu, Zongkai, Gray, Matthew, Zoellner, Brandon, Osterloh, Frank E., and Maggard, Paul A. Mon . "Flux Synthesis, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of n-type Sn2TiO4: Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution under Visible Light". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02003. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1534436.
@article{osti_1534436,
title = {Flux Synthesis, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of n-type Sn2TiO4: Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution under Visible Light},
author = {Boltersdorf, Jonathan and Sullivan, Ian and Shelton, Timothy L. and Wu, Zongkai and Gray, Matthew and Zoellner, Brandon and Osterloh, Frank E. and Maggard, Paul A.},
abstractNote = {Here, the n-type Sn2TiO4 phase was synthesized using flux methods and found to have one of the smallest visible-light bandgap sizes known that also maintains suitable conduction and valence band energies for driving photocatalytic water-splitting reactions. The Sn2TiO4 phase was synthesized using either a SnCl2 flux or a SnCl2/SnF2 peritectic flux in a 2:1 flux-to-precursor ratio heated at 600 and 400 °C for 24 h, respectively. The two types of salt fluxes resulted in large rod-shaped particles at 600 °C and smaller tetragonal prism-shaped particles at 400 °C. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy measurements produced a negative photovoltage under illumination >1.50 eV, which confirmed electrons as the majority charge carriers and ~1.50 eV as the effective band gap. Mott–Schottky measurements at pH 9.0 showed the conduction (–0.54 V vs NHE) and valence band (+1.01 V vs NHE) positions meet the critical thermodynamic requirements for total water splitting. The Sn2TiO4 particles were deposited and annealed as polycrystalline films on FTO slides, and exhibited photoanodic currents in aqueous solutions under visible-light irradiation. The Sn2TiO4 particles were also suspended in aqueous methanol solutions and irradiated with visible and ultraviolet light. The larger rod-shaped Sn2TiO4 particles had the higher rates of photocatalytic hydrogen production (~11.6 μmol H2 h–1) in comparison to the smaller tetragonal prism-shaped Sn2TiO4 particles (~3.4 μmol H2 h–1). Conversely, for photocatalytic oxygen production, the rates for the smaller tetragonal prism-shaped particles in aqueous AgNO3 solution were slightly higher (~16.3 μmol O2 h–1) than for the larger rod-shaped particles (~11.9 μmol O2 h–1). Apparent quantum yields of 0.995% and 0.0098% were measured for O2 and H2 production, respectively, under 435 nm light.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02003},
journal = {Chemistry of Materials},
number = 24,
volume = 28,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Mon Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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Cited by: 56 works
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Figures / Tables:

Table 1 Table 1: Flatband potential, conduction and valence band energies from Mott-Schottky calculations.

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