Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system by assembling earth abundant NixOy nanoclusters in cubic MCM-48 mesoporous materials.

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TitleEfficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system by assembling earth abundant NixOy nanoclusters in cubic MCM-48 mesoporous materials.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
JournalRSC Advances
Volume6
Issue64
Pagination59169 - 59180
AuthorsPeng, Rui, Khadga Shrestha, Gautam Mishra, Jonas Baltrusaitis, Chia-Ming Wu, and Ranjit T. Koodali
PublisherRoyal Society of Chemistry
ISBN Number2046-2069
KeywordsMCM mesoporous material nickel oxide nanocluster photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Abstract

A cubic MCM-48 mesoporous material was employed as a support to encapsulate earth abundant NixOy species (NiO and Ni2O3). The cubic MCM-48 mesoporous support provides an excellent platform to not only effectively disperse NiO and/or Ni2O3 species but also to limit their particle sizes. The presence of Ni2O3 species at an optimal amt. seems to enhance the photocatalytic activity of Ni-MCM-48 materials in comparison to a Ni-MCM-48 mesoporous material having only NiO dispersed in it. In addn., the presence of bulk NiO species also seems to be detrimental to the generation of solar hydrogen. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) of the most active material, Ni-MCM-48-2.5% was estd. to be 5.35%. This was over 250 times higher than a bulk, NiO (AQY = 0.02%) under identical exptl. conditions. This study indicates that MCM-48 can be used as an effective support to disperse NixOy species. [on SciFinder(R)]