Fundamental bulk/surface structure-photoactivity relationships of supported (Rh2-yCryO3)/GaN photocatalysts

Somphonh P. Phivilay, Charles A. Roberts, Alexander A. Puretzky, Kazunari Domen, Israel E. Wachs

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

The supported (Rh2-yCryO3)/GaN photocatalyst was examined as a model nitride photocatalyst system to assist in the development of fundamental structure-photoactivity relationships for UV activated water splitting. Surface characterization of the outermost surface layers by high-sensitivity low energy ion scattering (HS-LEIS) and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) revealed that the GaN support consists of a GaOx outermost surface layer on a thin film of GaOxNy. HR-XPS demonstrates that the supported (Rh 2-yCryO3) mixed oxide nanoparticles (NPs) consist of Cr3+ and Rh3+ cations that are surface enriched for (Rh2-yCryO3)/GaN. Raman and UV-vis spectroscopy show that the bulk molecular and electronic structures, respectively, of the GaN support are not perturbed by the deposition of the (Rh2-yCryO3) NPs. The function of the GaN bulk lattice is to generate photoexcited electrons/holes, with the electrons harnessed by the surface Rh3+ sites for evolution of H2 and the holes trapped at the Ga oxide/oxynitride surface sites for splitting of water and evolving O2.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3719-3724
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Volume4
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 7 2013

Keywords

  • GaN
  • H
  • HO splitting
  • LEIS
  • O
  • PL
  • Raman
  • RhCrO
  • UV-vis
  • XPS
  • photocatalysis
  • photocatalyst
  • spectroscopy

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