A novel in situ microwave-assisted biomimetic route to modified TiO2 photocatalysts for efficient hydrogen generation under solar irradiation
Hydrogen (H2) is widely recognized as a clean and sustainable energy carrier, capable of supporting the global transition toward carbon-neutral energy systems. Among the various production strategies, photocatalytic hydrogen generation from aqueous media using solar energy stands out as a green and...
| Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid |
| Repository: | Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM |
| Language: | English |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/739820 |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10486/739820 https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.152538 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Biomimetic photocatalysts Marine sponge templating Microwave-assisted synthesis Photocatalytic hydrogen production Solar-driven photoreforming Química |
| Summary: | Hydrogen (H2) is widely recognized as a clean and sustainable energy carrier, capable of supporting the global transition toward carbon-neutral energy systems. Among the various production strategies, photocatalytic hydrogen generation from aqueous media using solar energy stands out as a green and low-impact alternative to conventional reforming methods. In particular, the photoreforming of organic compounds, such as alcohols, has emerged as an attractive approach, enabling both H2 production and the valorization of organic substrates. In this work, a series of TiO2-based photocatalysts were synthesized through a novel in situ microwave-assisted biomimetic method, incorporating a marine sponge as a bio-template to modulate the textural and chemical properties of the materials. Several sponge-containing composites (TiO2_Sx) were prepared and characterized, with platinum added as a cocatalyst to promote charge separation and enhance H2 evolution activity. The photocatalytic performance of the materials was evaluated under simulated solar light using four alcohols, methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and 1,2-propanediol, as sacrificial agents. Among the tested photocatalysts, the TiO2_S5 sample exhibited the highest H2 production rate. Ethylene glycol was identified as the most effective sacrificial agent, yielding a maximum H2 generation rate of 1196 μmol⋅gcat 1⋅h 1 and concurrent CO2 evolution of 1156 μmol⋅gcat 1⋅h 1, indicating efficient photoreforming. The superior performance of ethylene glycol is attributed to its vicinal diol structure, which promotes effective hole scavenging. These findings demonstrate that the combination of sponge-assisted TiO2 structuring and polyhydric alcohols as sacrificial agents provides a promising platform for improving solar-driven H2 production through photoreforming |
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