PANI/NaTaO3 composite photocatalyst for enhanced hydrogen generation under UV light irradiation

Abstract

A PANI/NaTaO3 composite was successfully synthesized by an oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer in hydrochloric acid solution containing sodium tantalate. NaTaO3 at a monoclinic structure was produced via hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activities of the unmodified NaTaO3 and PANI/NaTaO3 were evaluated for hydrogen generation from an aqueous HCOOH solution and under UV light irradiation. The results showed that the evolution rate of H2 increased significantly when NaTaO3 was modified with PANI. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of PANI/NaTaO3 composite was ascribed to the effective charge transfer and separation between NaTaO3 and PANI, which reduced their recombination. This indicates that PANI modification of tantalate photocatalysts may open up a new way to prepare highly efficient catalytic materials for H2 generation.

Keywords

• polyaniline
• natao3
• composite photocatalysts
• hydrogen generation