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Nanofunctional photocatalysts are attractive materials in solar energy transformation for environmental protection and green energy source generation. TiO 2 nanoparticles are the most prospective photocatalysts due to the high photoactive property. In this paper, Ag nanoparticle-sensitized TiO 2 nanotube arrays (Ag/TiO 2 NTAs) were constructed as the photoelectrochemical platform for pollutant removal and hydrogen generation. TiO 2 NTAs were firstly obtained by the anodization method, and carbon layer was formed by the hydrothermal carbonization of glucose in different concentrations, and then Ag nanoparticles were deposited by carbon reduction of Ag+. Ag/TiO 2 NTAs could effectively decompose organic dye molecules and remove toxic heavy metal ions. The samples also could achieve visible light photocurrent and hydrogen generation. The surface plasmon resonance absorption and electron transfer path of Ag nanoparticles benefit photochemical performance improvement of TiO 2 NTAs. The construction of multifunctional platform of Ag/TiO 2 NTAs would cause extensive response and focus in the synergistic applications of semiconductor photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production was recognized as an effective strategy to obtain renewable energy for solving the environmental pollution and resource shortage crisis. Herein, we explored the solvothermal deposition method to successfully prepare blanket-like Bi 2 MoO 6 coated on TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TiO 2 NTA/Bi 2 MoO 6), and the TiO 2 NTA/Bi 2 MoO 6 photocatalyst showed outstanding visible light-driven photocatalytic water splitting capacity, and the hydrogen evolution rate achieved 129.26 μmol h-1 cm-2. Moreover, the sample also exhibited high photocatalytic pollutant decomposition performance. The remarkable photocatalytic performance was attributed to the synergistic effect of Bi 2 MoO 6 and TiO 2 NTA in the matched energy band location for solar absorption and carrier transportation. The synthesis and photocatalytic water splitting of Bi 2 MoO 6 /TiO 2 NTA could afford the reproducible lesson for novel resource utilization of semiconductor photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]