Preparation, characterization, and enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of Y_2 Cu_2 O_5 -based compounds under simulated sunlight irradiation

摘要

Y_2 Cu_2 O_5 photocatalyst was successfully prepared via solid state reaction and further combined with TiOby a sol-gel method and a solid phase method, respectively. For comparison, Pt particles were loaded to prepare Pt- Y_2 Cu_2 O_5 via a hydrogen reduction method. All the samples were characterized by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Photocatalytic Hevolution activities of the as-obtained samples were evaluated from aqueous oxalic acid solution under simulated sunlight irradiation. The effects of photocatalyst concentration, TiOcontent, and composite method on the Hevolution activities of the as-obtained photocatalysts were investigated. The results show that, when the concentration of photocatalyst is 0.8 g L - 1, the TiO Y_2 Cu_2 O_5 composite photocatalyst prepared by a sol-gel method exhibits the optimized photocatalytic activity, and the Hproduction rate is 4.35 mmol h - 1 g - 1 with 30 wt.% content of TiO