Basic Research of Water Photolysis using Pyrochlore Oxides

摘要

Photocatalytic proton reduction and water oxidation have been studied in a tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium complex-catalyst system. Pyrochlore-type oxides have been used as proton reduction catalysts with a sacrificial electron donor (Na_2EDTA) at pH 7 and as water oxidation catalysts with a sacrificial electron acceptor (K_2S_2O_8) at pH 3. Rate constants for the proton reduction were estimated on the basis of photochemical processes. Yb_2Ru_2O_(7-δ) was found to be the most active catalyst for proton reduction and water oxidation catalyst in this system.