TY - JOUR

T1 - Boosting the H2 Production Efficiency via Photocatalytic Organic Reforming

T2 - The Role of Additional Hole Scavenging System

AU - Alsalka, Yamen

AU - Al-Madanat, Osama

AU - Hakki, Amer

AU - Bahnemann, Detlef W.

N1 - Funding Information: Yamen AlSalka thanks the financing from the Deutscher Akademischer Aus-tauschdienst (DAAD) and the German Federal Foreign Office. Osama Al-Madanat thanks the financing from the Katholischer Akademischer Ausländer-Dienst (KAAD).

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - The simultaneous photocatalytic H2 evolution with environmental remediation over sem-iconducting metal oxides is a fascinating process for sustainable fuel production. However, most of the previously reported photocatalytic reforming showed nonstoichiometric amounts of the evolved H2 when organic substrates were used. To explain the reasons for this phenomenon, a care-ful analysis of the products and intermediates in gas and aqueous phases upon the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from oxalic acid using Pt/TiO2 was performed. A quadrupole mass spectrome-ter (QMS) was used for the continuous flow monitoring of the evolved gases, while high performance ion chromatography (HPIC), isotopic labeling, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were employed to understand the reactions in the solution. The entire consumption of oxalic acid led to a ~30% lower H2 amount than theoretically expected. Due to the contribution of the photo-Kolbe reaction mechanism, a tiny amount of formic acid was produced then disappeared shortly after the complete consumption of oxalic acid. Nevertheless, a much lower concentration of formic acid was generated compared to the nonstoichiometric difference between the formed H2 and the consumed oxalic acid. Isotopic labeling measurements showed that the evolved H2, HD, and/or D2 matched those of the solvent; however, using D2O decreased the reaction rate. Interestingly, the presence of KI as an additional hole scavenger with oxalic acid had a considerable impact on the reaction mechanism, and thus the hydrogen yield, as indicated by the QMS and the EPR measure-ments. The added KI promoted H2 evolution to reach the theoretically predictable amount and in-hibited the formation of intermediates without affecting the oxalic acid degradation rate. The pro-posed mechanism, by which KI boosts the photocatalytic performance, is of great importance in enhancing the overall energy efficiency for hydrogen production via photocatalytic organic reform-ing.

AB - The simultaneous photocatalytic H2 evolution with environmental remediation over sem-iconducting metal oxides is a fascinating process for sustainable fuel production. However, most of the previously reported photocatalytic reforming showed nonstoichiometric amounts of the evolved H2 when organic substrates were used. To explain the reasons for this phenomenon, a care-ful analysis of the products and intermediates in gas and aqueous phases upon the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from oxalic acid using Pt/TiO2 was performed. A quadrupole mass spectrome-ter (QMS) was used for the continuous flow monitoring of the evolved gases, while high performance ion chromatography (HPIC), isotopic labeling, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were employed to understand the reactions in the solution. The entire consumption of oxalic acid led to a ~30% lower H2 amount than theoretically expected. Due to the contribution of the photo-Kolbe reaction mechanism, a tiny amount of formic acid was produced then disappeared shortly after the complete consumption of oxalic acid. Nevertheless, a much lower concentration of formic acid was generated compared to the nonstoichiometric difference between the formed H2 and the consumed oxalic acid. Isotopic labeling measurements showed that the evolved H2, HD, and/or D2 matched those of the solvent; however, using D2O decreased the reaction rate. Interestingly, the presence of KI as an additional hole scavenger with oxalic acid had a considerable impact on the reaction mechanism, and thus the hydrogen yield, as indicated by the QMS and the EPR measure-ments. The added KI promoted H2 evolution to reach the theoretically predictable amount and in-hibited the formation of intermediates without affecting the oxalic acid degradation rate. The pro-posed mechanism, by which KI boosts the photocatalytic performance, is of great importance in enhancing the overall energy efficiency for hydrogen production via photocatalytic organic reform-ing.

KW - Dual function photocatalysis

KW - Energy efficiency

KW - H2 production

KW - Oxalic acid

KW - Photocatalytic reforming

KW - TiO2

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119590969&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/catal11121423

DO - 10.3390/catal11121423

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85119590969

VL - 11

JO - CATALYSTS

JF - CATALYSTS

SN - 2073-4344

IS - 12

M1 - 1423

ER -