Photocatalytic solar light H2 production by aqueous glucose reforming

A series of tungsten and nitrogen doped Pt-TiO2 samples were prepared with the aim to extend the TiO2 absorption to the visible light region and to enhance the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron/hole pairs. The physicochemical features of the powders were characterized by Xray diffraction (XRD), UV/Vis reflectance spectra, specific surface area (SSA) determinations, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The influence of the presence of different doping agents was evaluated, under anaerobic conditions, in the aqueous photo-reforming of glucose to form H2 at ambient pressure and temperature under a halogen lamp or natural solar light irradiation. Arabinose, erythrose, and formic acid were the main glucose partial oxidation products observed in the liquid phase, whilst H2 and CO2 were measured in the gaseous phase. The highest H2 production was observed in the presence of the Pt-TiO2-W0.25 sample.