Optimizing the performance of photocatalytic H₂ generation for ZnNb₂O₆ synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method.

ABSTRACT: Semiconductor-based photocatalytic H₂ generation is a promising technique and the development of efficient photocatalysts has attracted great attention. Columbite-ZnNb₂O₆ is a wide-bandgap semiconductor capable of photocatalytic water splitting. Here we employed a two-step hydrothermal method to first dissolve Nb₂O₅ with a highly basic aqueous solution and further react it with Zn²⁺ to form nanosized ZnNb₂O₆. The reaction time plays an important role on its morphology and photocatalytic performance in water reduction. The sample synthesized through 7 days of reaction was the optimal one with an appropriate crystallinity and a large specific surface area, however the severe surficial defects prohibited i

SUBMITTER: Chun Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9079817 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature