Titania-Supported Palladium/Strontium Nanoparticles (Pd/Sr-NPs@P25) for Photocatalytic H2 Production from Water Splitting

Abstract

Here we demonstrate a new strategy of boosting the photocatalytic activity of titania (P25) for photocatalytic H2 production from the water splitting reaction by depositing palladium/strontium nanoparticles, forming Pd/Sr-NPs@P25. The Pd/Sr-NPs are in situ prepared on the surface of P25. The effects of Pd and Sr in the photocatalytic reactions are further revealed. Strontium in the form of strontium oxide promotes electron transfer from the semiconductor surface to palladium nanoparticles by increasing the Fermi level of the P25 support. The structural and morphological characterizations of the Pd/Sr-NPs nanocomposite are carried out using UV-vis DRS, XRD, TEM, and XPS techniques, based upon which the mechanistic insights are discussed.