Carbon-based photocatalysts for H2 production by photo-thermal catalysis

Photoreforming of aqueous solutions containing organic compounds is a process that combines the generation of hydrogen from water and the oxidation of an organic substrate in a single process occurring under ambient conditions. In the present research, composite photocatalysts Nb2O5 carbon material were prepared and tested for the photo(thermo)reforming of glycerol to produce H2. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and expanded graphene oxide (expGO) were chosen for this study owing to their photothermal ability when exposed to sunlight (based on an initial screening with an IR camera). Bare and composites were physiochemically characterised by XRD, SEM, DRS and Raman, as well as their specific surface area and porosity was analysed.