SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
Effect of carbonate salt addition on the photocatalytic decomposition of liquid water over Pt–TiO2 catalyst
Abstract
It has been found that an addition of carbonate salts to Pt-loaded
TiO
2
suspensions led to highly efficient stoichiometric
photocatalytic decomposition of liquid water into H
2
and
O
2
. Neither the pH nor cation directly contributes to the
water splitting, and the presence of a high concentration of carbonate
ions is essential for the catalytic photodecomposition of water. The
carbonate ion affects both the Pt particles and the TiO
2
surface. The Pt was covered with some titanium hydroxide compounds
and, therefore, the rate of the back reaction (H
2
O
formation from H
2
and O
2
) on the Pt was
suppressed effectively in the presence of carbonate ions. On the other
hand, the TiO
2
surface was readily covered with several
types of carbonate species. It is considered that these carbonate
species aid desorption of O
2
from the TiO
2
surface. A new reaction mechanism involving peroxocarbonates has been
proposed.
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