Solar Hydrogen Production from Cost Effective Stannic Oxide Under Visible Light Irradiation

Abstract

Visible-light-driven stannic oxide was synthesized by facile one-pot solvothermal method from SnCl2·2H2O and methanol. The as-prepared powder was identified by XRD as the low crystalline phase of SnO2, and its absorption edge reached about 530 nm, presenting good potential to respond to visible light. Under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), the as-prepared tin oxide showed good anodic photocurrent effects on FTO photoelectrode, and showed hydrogen and oxygen evolution activities under electron donor (methanol) and acceptor (AgNO3), respectively, even without any co-catalyst loading. The visible-light-driven mechanism for this SnO2-x maybe ascribed to Sn2+ self-doped into Sn4+ and formed an energy gap between the band gap of SnO2.