02674nas a2200265   4500008004100000022001400041245011200055210006900167260007700236300001200313490000600325520169700331653002802028653001302056653002502069653001902094653002002113100003302133700002502166700001602191700001502207700002702222700003002249856012902279       2014                        eng d  a1867-388000aDisordered mesoporous TiO2-xNx+Nano-Au: an electronically integrated nanocomposite for solar H-2 generation0 aDisordered mesoporous TiO2xNxNanoAu an electronically integrated  aBOSCHSTRASSE 12, D-69469 WEINHEIM, GERMANYbWILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBHcFEB  a522-5300 v63 a<p>We report on H-2 generation by photocatalysis driven by simulated white light by electronically integrated Au nanoparticles with multifunctional, disordered mesoporous TiO2-xNx (Au-NT) nanocomposites. Solar H-2 generation (1.5 mmolh(-1)g(-1)) from aqueous methanol has been demonstrated with Au-NT nanocomposites. The water splitting activity of Au-NT is attributed to the 21.1 ps lifetime of charge carriers observed from fluorescence lifetime measurements, which indicates a high electron-injection efficiency from nano-Au to the conduction band of TiO2, and hence charge separation as well as utilization. This is directly supported by the observation of a high photoluminescence emission intensity with Au-NT that highlights the energy transfer from nano-Au to TiO2. The p-n heterojunction observed between the Au (001) and TiO2 (101) facets helps to-wards the higher charge separation and their utilization. A low mesochannel depth (&lt; 10 nm) associated with disordered mesoporous TiO2-xNx helps the charge carriers to move towards the surface for redox reactions and hence charge utilization. Visible-light absorption, as a result of the surface plasmon resonance of nano-Au, is observed in a broad range between 500 and 750 nm, which helps in harvesting visible-light photons. Finally, electronically integrated nano-Au with TiO2-xNx in Au-NT is evident from Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. All of these factors help to achieve a high rate of H-2 production. It is likely that a higher rate of H-2 production than that reported here is feasible by strategically locating Au clusters in porous TiO2 to generate hot spots through electronic integration.</p>10aheterogeneous catalysis10aHydrogen10amesoporous materials10aphotochemistry10awater splitting1 aSivaranjani, Kumarsrinivasan1 aRajaambal, Sivaraman1 aDas, Tanmay1 aRoy, Kanak1 aBhattacharyya, Somnath1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.  uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/disordered-mesoporous-tio2-xnxnano-au-electronically-integrated-nanocomposite-solar-h-2-002506nas a2200253   4500008004100000022001400041245006900055210006800124260010200192300001000294490000800304520163300312653001301945653001701958653001901975653001601994653001802010653001802028653002002046100002502066700003302091700003002124856009802154       2015                        eng d  a0974-362600aRecent developments in solar H-2 generation from water splitting0 aRecent developments in solar H2 generation from water splitting  aC V RAMAN AVENUE, SADASHIVANAGAR, P B \#8005, BANGALORE 560 080, INDIAbINDIAN ACAD SCIENCEScJAN  a33-470 v1273 a<p>Hydrogen production from water and sunlight through photocatalysis could become one of the channels, in the not-so-distant future, to meet a part of ever growing energy demands. However, accomplishing solar water splitting through semiconductor particulate photocatalysis seems to be the `Holy Grail' problem of science. In the present mini-review, some of the critical strategies of semiconductor photocatalysis are focused with the aim of enumerating underlying critical factors such as visible light harvesting, charge carrier separation, conduction and their utilization that determine the quantum efficiency. We attempted to bring out the essential requirements expected in a material for facile water splitting by explaining important and new designs contributed in the last decade. The newly emerged designs in semiconductor architecture employing nanoscience towards meeting the critical factors of facile photocatalysis are elucidated. The importance of band gap engineering is emphasized to utilize potential wide band gap semiconductors. Assistance of metal nanostructures and quantum dots to semiconductors attains vital importance as they are exuberant visible light harvesters and charge carrier amplifiers. Benevolent use of quantum dots in solar water splitting and photoelectrochemical water splitting provides scope to revolutionize the quantum efficiency by its multiple exciton generation features. A list of drawbacks and issues that hamper the much needed breakthrough in photocatalysis of water splitting is provided to invite attention to address them and move towards sustainable water splitting.</p>10aHydrogen10ananomaterial10aPhotocatalysis10aquantum dot10aSemiconductor10avisible light10awater splitting1 aRajaambal, Sivaraman1 aSivaranjani, Kumarsrinivasan1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.  uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/recent-developments-solar-h-2-generation-water-splitting-0