Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting by Inorganic Materials

摘要

Hydrogen has been identified as a potential energy carrier due to its highenergy capacity and environmental harmlessness. Compared with hydrogenproduction from hydrocarbons such as methane and naphtha in a conventionalhydrogen energy system, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splittingoffers a more economic approach since it utilizes the abundant solar irradiation asenergy source and water as initial reactant. Powder photocatalyst, which generateselectrons and holes under illumination, is the origin where the overall reactionhappens. High solar energy conversion efficiency especially from visible range iscommonly the target. Besides, cocatalyst for hydrogen and oxygen evolution is alsoplaying an essential role in facilitating the charge separation and enhancing thekinetics.In this thesis, the objective is to achieve high energy conversion efficiencytowards water splitting from diverse aspects. The third chapter focuses on acontrollable method to fabricate metal pattern, which is candidate for hydrogenevolution cocatalyst while chapter 4 is on the combination of strontium titaniumoxide (SrTiO3) with graphene oxide (GO) for a better photocatalytic performance. Inthe last chapter, photoelectrochemical water splitting by Ta3N5 photoanode andFeOOH as a novel oxygen evolution cocatalyst has been investigated.