1. Photocatalytic NH 3 versus H 2 evolution over g-C 3 N 4 /Cs x WO 3 : O 2 and methanol tipping the scale
- Author
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Huihui Li, Yuhua Wang, Shu Yin, Jiachi Zhang, Anye Shi, Jiayue Rong, and Zaili Hou
- Subjects
Materials science ,Hydrogen ,Process Chemistry and Technology ,chemistry.chemical_element ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Photochemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Catalysis ,0104 chemical sciences ,Ammonia production ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Yield (chemistry) ,Photocatalysis ,Water splitting ,Nanorod ,Methanol ,0210 nano-technology ,General Environmental Science - Abstract
CsxWO3 nanorods can be used to sensitize the single layer g-C3N4, where full spectrum light harvesting excited electrons to drive the photocatalytic reduction of N2 into NH3. Under UV light, both water splitting and solar ammonia synthesis reaction exhibit high activity. However, selectivity towards ammonia over hydrogen is realized under NIR irradiation. With the control of methanol, O2 can directly decide the NH3 or H2 evolution on photocatalyst. The origin is the strong capture of O2 with the electrons from the photocatalyst under light irradiation to yield the oxygen active species, which transfer electrons subsequently with help of methanol to generate NH3. However, H2 production will be suppressed by O2. And with its sacrifice, methanol preserves the produced NH3 from oxidation. The O2-sacrificial agent mediated NH3 evolution reaction found here provides insights in the promotion role of them in other catalysis.
- Published
- 2018
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