Catalyst Award: Visible-range heterojunction nanofiber photocatalysts for water splitting: The effect of co-catalysts

Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

Catalyst Projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. This project at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University will investigate the effect of heterojunction photocatalytic systems that encompasses metal oxides and phosphides on water splitting. The specific aims of this project are (1) to use co-electrospinning technique to synthesize multicomponent heterojunction nanofiber photocatalysts and correlate the heterojunction composition with activity of water splitting and (2) to identify the of the role of low-cost core-shell type monolayer nanoparticle co-catalysts in enhanced photocatalytic activity. In order to produce heterojunction photocatalytic systems, a versatile polymer-assisted electrospinning technique coupled with microwave-assisted polyol reduction method will be employed. The structural and physico-chemical properties along with photocatalytic activities will be evaluated by performing numerous analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (SEM & TEM), surface analysis (BET and XPS), elemental analysis (EDS), and light-induced water splitting analysis. The potential contributions and outcomes of the successful completion of this project are: (1) development of methodology for preparation of heterojunction metal oxide and metal phosphide photocatalytic systems, (2) establishment of structure-activity relationship in terms of photocatalytic water splitting, and (3) development of facile protocol to synthesize core-shell type nanoscale co-catalysts. Moreover, the results would provide insight on how to reduce the cost factor of expensive noble metal co-catalysts and utilize them along with cheap metals to achieve the same or greater catalytic activity in comparison to noble metal only co-catalysts This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.