As a single atom Pd outperforms Pt as the most active co-catalyst for photocatalytic H2 evolution

• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102938
• Publication Date: 2021-07-31T06:13:23Z
• Authors: Gihoon Cha; Imgon Hwang; Seyedsina Hejazi; Ana S. Dobrota; Igor A. Pašti; Benedict Osuagwu; Hyesung Kim; Johannes Will; Tadahiro Yokosawa; Zdeněk Badura; Štěpán Kment; Shiva Mohajernia; Anca Mazare; Natalia V. Skorod...; Erdmann Spiecker; Patrik Schmuki
• Keywords: Noble metal

Here, we evaluate three different noble metal co-catalysts (Pd, Pt, and Au) that are present as single atoms (SAs) on the classic benchmark photocatalyst, TiO2. To trap surface, introduced controlled surface vacancies (Ti3+-Ov) anatase TiO2 nanosheets by a thermal reduction treatment. After anchoring identical loadings of Pd, Au, measure photocatalytic H2 generation rate compare it to nanoparticle nanosheets. While nanoparticles yield well-established hydrogen evolution reaction activity sequence (Pt > Pd Au), for atom form, radically outperforms Pt Au. Based density functional theory (DFT), ascribe this unusual co-catalyst nature charge localization SAs embedded in surface.