Bimetallic Au–Pt/TiO₂photocatalysts active under UV-A and simulated sunlight for H₂production from ethanol

Abstract

A new class of bimetallic Au–Pt/TiO2 photocatalysts were developed and employed in H2 photoassisted production using ethanol as a sacrificial reagent both under UV-A and simulated sunlight irradiation. Remarkably, preliminary experiments show promising hydrogen evolution under visible light using Au0.5–Pt0.5/TiO2 with methanol. The presence of bimetallic Au–Pt nanoparticles and the TiO2 visible light absorption, induced by the presence of oxygen vacancies and/or Ti3+, are the two parameters accounting for the difference in activity.