Photocatalytic production of hydrogen from water–alcohol media with the participation of mesoporous TiO2

Abstract

Samples of mesoporous TiO2 containing 80-85% of anatase and 15-20% of rutile with average particle and pore sizes of ∼10 nm and specific surface areas of 70 m2/g were obtained. The nanohetero structures TiO2/Cu formed during photocatalytic reduction of CuII exhibit photocatalytic activity in the release of hydrogen from water–ethanol mixtures. The quantum yield with respect to atomic hydrogen amounts to 1.5.