Photocatalytic Solar Light H₂ Production by Aqueous Glucose Reforming

Abstract

A series of tungsten and nitrogen doped Pt‐TiO 2 samples were prepared with the aim to extend the TiO 2 absorption to the visible light region and to enhance the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron/hole pairs. The physicochemical features of the powders were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV/Vis reflectance spectra, specific surface area (SSA) determinations, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The influence of the presence of different doping agents was evaluated, under anaerobic conditions, in the aqueous photo‐reforming of glucose to form H 2 at ambient pressure and temperature under a halogen lamp or natural solar light irradiation. Arabinose, erythrose, and formic acid were the main glucose partial oxidation products observed in the liquid phase, whilst H 2 and CO 2 were measured in the gaseous phase. The highest H 2 production was observed in the presence of the Pt‐TiO 2 ‐W0.25 sample.