Silver/titania nanocomposite-modified photoelectrodes for photoelectrocatalytic methanol oxidation

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 39; no. 27; pp. 14720 - 14729
• Main Authors: Lim, Su Pei, Pandikumar, Alagarsamy, Huang, Nay Ming, Lim, Hong Ngee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 12.09.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: AACVD; Ag/TiO2; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Hydrogen; Methanol oxidation; Photoelectrochemistry; Thin film; Photoelectrochemistry; AACVD; Methanol oxidation; Ag/TiO2; Thin film; Hydrogen; Silver; Nanocomposite; Oxidation; Titanium oxide; Ag/TiO; Nanostructured materials; Photoelectrode; Methanol
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.07.066

Silver deposited titania (Ag/TiO2) nanocomposite thin films were fabricated by the simple sonochemical deposition of Ag on preformed aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposited TiO2 thin films. The photelectrocatalytic performance of a newly fabricated Ag/TiO2-modified photoelectrode was studied for methanol oxidation under simulated solar AM 1.5G irradiation (100 mW/cm2). The Ag/TiO2-modified photoelectrode showed a photocurrent density of 1 mA/cm2, which is four times that of an unmodified TiO2 photoelectrode. The modification of Ag on the TiO2 surface significantly enhanced the photoelectrocatalytic performance by improving the interfacial charge transfer processes, which minimized the charge recombination. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation studies revealed that methanol could be easily adsorbed onto the Ag surfaces of Ag/TiO2 via a partial electron transfer from Ag to methanol. The newly fabricated Ag/TiO2-modified photoelectrode could be a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical applications. •Successful preparation of Ag/TiO2 thin film for methanol oxidation.•Ag/TiO2 photoelectrode showed 4-fold enhancement in photocurrent than TiO2.•Ag on TiO2 improving the charge transfer and minimize the charge recombination.•The Ag/TiO2 photoelectrode is a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical cells.