Splitting of water by electrochemical combination of two photocatalytic reactions on TiO2 particles

Abstract

Photochemical splitting of water was achieved by combining two photocatalytic reactions on suspended titanium dioxide particles, namely, the reduction of water to hydrogen using bromide ions, which were oxidized to bromine and the oxidation of water to oxygen using FeIII ions, which were reduced to FeII ions. These two reactions were carried out in separate compartments and combined via platinum electrodes and cation-exchange membranes. At the electrodes, FeII ions were oxidized by bromine, and protons were transported through the membranes to maintain the electric neutrality and pH of the solutions in the two compartments. As a result, water was continuously split into hydrogen and oxygen under photoirradiation. Reversible reactions on photocatalysts often suffer from the effects of back reactions, unless the products are removed. In the present system the problem is largely prevented, because the concentrations of the products in solution are automatically maintained at a low level.