02153nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245009600055210006900151260007100220300001400291490000600305520132100311653001401632653001101646653001901657653002201676653001201698653001301710100002201723700002201745700003001767856011401797 2014 eng d a2155-543500aAmbient oxidation of benzene to phenol by photocatalysis on Au/Ti0.98V0.02O2: role of holes0 aAmbient oxidation of benzene to phenol by photocatalysis on AuTi a1155 16TH ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USAbAMER CHEMICAL SOCcSEP a2844-28530 v43 a

A potential photocatalyst with 2 atom % vanadium incorporated into the 1 lattice of disordered mesoporous titania, Ti0.98V0.02O2, (TV2) was synthesized. Au was deposited on TV2 (Au/TV2) through a photodeposition method. Structural, microscopy, and spectroscopy techniques support the incorporation of vanadium into the TiO2 lattice, and Au was deposited on the surfaces of TV2. Photocatalytic oxidation of benzene was conducted at ambient temperature under UV and/or visible light to demonstrate the catalytic activity of the Au/TV2 catalyst. The TV2 lattice exhibits a quantum jump in benzene to phenol oxidation compared to that of TiO2, highlighting the importance of V for oxidation. Introduction of Au onto TV2 further increases the benzene to phenol oxidation and phenol yield by a factor of 2 under UV light compared to those of bare TV2. No significant phenol production was observed in visible light with or without gold, indicating the role of gold is indirect toward charge separation and electron storage. Nano gold clusters on TV2 selectively store photoexcited electrons and in turn maximize holes utilization on TiO2. The high photocatalytic activity of Au/TV2 is mainly attributed to the presence of Schottky junctions, disordered mesoporosity, and short diffusion lengths for charge carriers.

10anano gold10aphenol10aPhotocatalysis10aSchottky junction10atitania10aVanadium1 aDevaraji, Perumal1 aSathu, Naveen, K.1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/ambient-oxidation-benzene-phenol-photocatalysis-auti098v002o2-role-holes-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

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.

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-002416nas a2200217 4500008004100000022001400041245009900055210006900154260000800223300001200231490000700243520166800250653002701918653001901945653002101964653001901985653002002004100002202024700003002046856012202076 2018 eng d a0360-319900aPt - g-C3N4 - (Au/TiO2): electronically integrated nanocomposite for solar hydrogen generation0 aPt gC3N4 AuTiO2 electronically integrated nanocomposite for sola cJAN a601-6130 v433 a

A potential nanocomposite photocatalyst was designed by integrating Pt nanoclusters (co catalyst and electron sink) with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4 (gcn)) (charge diffusion) and 0.5 wt % Au containing Au-TiO2 (AuT) (plasmonic on semiconductor) for solar water splitting (SWS). Variety of Pt-gcn-AuTiO2 compositions has been evaluated for SWS under one sun conditions. Complexity of the photocatalyst was increased systematically from Au-TiO2, gcn-TiO2 to Pt-gcn-Au-TiO2 to explore the influence of different combinations. Electronic integration of charge separation/diffusion component (gcn) with light absorbing sensitizer components (Au and gcn), and co-catalyst (Pt) seems to be the critical factor to improve hydrogen yield (HY) or overall efficiency. Although addition of gcn increase the HY of composites, there is no SWS activity observed on bare TiO2 or gcn. Au or Pt on gcn enhances the charge separation effectively and interface between Au and/or Pt with gcn works as the Schottky barrier. A monodispersion of Au over TiO2 and Pt nanoclusters over gcn/AuTiO2 composite lead to the maximum solar hydrogen yield (1.52 mmol/h g) with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 7.5%. Photoelectron and photoluminescence spectral studies confirm the electron transfer from Au to gcn, and Au and/or gcn to titania. A thorough physico-chemical investigation of various composites underscores the electronic integration aspects of the nanocomposite towards storage of electrons in the Pt co-catalyst and hence an effective charge separation and an increase in AQY. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10aElectronic integration10aPhotocatalysis10aSchottky barrier10aSolar hydrogen10awater splitting1 aDevaraji, Perumal1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/pt-g-c3n4-autio2-electronically-integrated-nanocomposite-solar-hydrogen-generation02296nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245013400055210006900189260000800258300001200266490000800278520141400286653002001700653001701720653002301737653001901760653001901779100002301798700001801821700001901839700003001858700002301888856013101911 2019 eng d a0169-433200aCadmium sulfide nanostructures: influence of morphology on the photocatalytic degradation of erioglaucine and hydrogen generation0 aCadmium sulfide nanostructures influence of morphology on the ph cJUL a696-7050 v4833 a

Size and shape of inorganic materials are known to have great effects on their physical and chemical properties. Here, for the first time we report the visible light driven photocatalytic degradation of erioglaucine - a stable organic dye molecule in the presence of chemically synthesized nanoscale CdS with 1D (nanorods), 2D (nanosheets) and 3D (hierarchical) morphology. Visible light driven photocatalytic degradation efficiency of both 1D and 3D CdS in the removal of erioglaucine are identical. Surprisingly, with 5 min of sonication, the highly crystalline 3D CdS stacked with many thin nanowires containing numerous active surface sites exhibited fourfold enhanced photodegradation efficiency in comparison to 1D and 2D CdS. Scavenger studies revealed that electrons and superoxide radicals are primary reactive species involved in the photodegradation of erioglaucine, while cyclic photodegradation studies revealed the good stability of 3D CdS against photocorrosion. Further, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution studies also revealed the excellent activity of 3D CdS in comparison to 1D and 2D CdS. Thus, we find that the morphology indeed influences the photocatalytic activity. These results reveal that 3D CdS nanostructures investigated in the present work are efficient photocatalysts that could be fine-tuned for both environmental remediation and hydrogen generation applications.

10aCadmium sulfide10aErioglaucine10aHydrogen evolution10aNanostructures10aPhotocatalysis1 aShenoy, Sulakshana1 aJang, Eunyong1 aPark, Tae, Joo1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.1 aSridharan, Kishore uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/cadmium-sulfide-nanostructures-influence-morphology-photocatalytic-degradation-erioglaucine02821nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245010600055210006900161260000800230300001600238490000700254520197500261653001202236653001902248653003002267653000902297653002002306100001602326700002102342700002202363700002002385700003002405856013202435 2019 eng d a1944-824400aElectronic integration and thin film aspects of Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2 for improved solar hydrogen generation0 aElectronic integration and thin film aspects of AuPdrGOTiO2 for  cSEP a32869-328780 v113 a

In the present work, we have synthesized noble bimetallic nanoparticles (Au-Pd NPs) on a carbon-based support and integrated with titania to obtain Au-Pd/C/TiO2 and Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2 nanocomposites using an ecofriendly hydrothermal method. Here, a 1:1 (w/w) Au-Pd bimetallic composition was dispersed on (a) high-surface-area (3000 m(2) g(-1)) activated carbon (Au-Pd/C), prepared from a locally available plant source (in Assam, India), and (b) reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (Au-Pd/rGO); subsequently, they were integrated with TiO2. The shift observed in Raman spectroscopy demonstrates the electronic integration of the bimetal with titania. The photocatalytic activity of the above materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction was studied under 1 sun conditions using methanol as a sacrificial agent in a powder form. The photocatalysts were also employed to prepare a thin film by the drop-casting method. Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2 exhibits 43 times higher hydrogen (H-2) yield in the thin film form (21.50 mmol h(-1) g(-1)) compared to the powder form (0.50 mmol h(-1) g(-1)). On the other hand, Au-Pd/C/TiO2 shows 13 times higher hydrogen (H-2) yield in the thin film form (6.42 mmol h(-1) g(-1)) compared to the powder form (0.48 mmol h(-1) g(-1)). While powder forms of both catalysts show comparable activity, the Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2 thin film shows 3.4 times higher activity than that of Au-Pd/C/TiO2. This can be ascribed to (a) an effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs at the interface of Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2 and (b) the better field effect due to plasmon resonance of the bimetal in the thin film form. The catalytic influence of the carbon-based support is highly pronounced due to synergistic binding interaction of bimetallic nanoparticles. Further, a large amount of hydrogen evolution in the film form with both catalysts (Au-Pd/C/TiO2 and Au-Pd/rGO/TiO2) reiterates that charge utilization should be better compared to that in powder catalysts.

10abimetal10aPhotocatalysis10asurface plasmon resonance10aTiO210awater splitting1 aTudu, Bijoy1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aReddy, Kasala, P.1 aSaikia, Pranjal1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/electronic-integration-and-thin-film-aspects-au-pdrgotio2-improved-solar-hydrogen-generation01969nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245014300055210006900198260000900267300001600276490000700292520103800299653002001337653001801357653001901375653001301394653001901407100002101426700002801447700001701475700002101492700002901513700003001542856013101572 2020 eng d a1944-824400aCan half-a-monolayer of pt simulate activity like that of bulk pt? solar hydrogen activity demonstration with quasi-artificial leaf device0 aCan halfamonolayer of pt simulate activity like that of bulk pt  cJUL  a30420-304300 v123 a

Pt is the best cocatalyst for hydrogen production. It is also well-known that the surface atomic layer is critical for catalysis. To minimize the Pt content as cocatalyst, herein we report on half-a-monolayer of Pt (0.5 theta(Pt)) decorated on earth-abundant Ni-Cu cocatalyst, which is integrated with a quasiartificial leaf (QuAL) device (TiO2/ZnS/CdS) and demonstrated for efficient solar hydrogen production. For the QuAL, TiO2 is sensitized with ZnS and CdS quantum dots by the SILAR method. The 0.5 theta(Pt)-decorated Ni-Cu shows an onset potential of 0.05 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode for the hydrogen evolution reaction, which is almost similar to that of commercial Pt/C. Photoactivity of the present QuAL device with either bulk Pt or 0.5 theta(Pt)-coated Ni-Cu cocatalyst is, surprisingly, equal. Our findings underscore that a fraction of a monolayer of Pt can enhance the activity of the cocatalyst, and it is worth exploring further for the high activity associated with atomic Pt and other noble metals.

10aartificial leaf10anickel-copper10aPhotocatalysis10aplatinum10aSolar hydrogen1 aBajpai, Himanshu1 aPatra, Kshirodra, Kumar1 aRanjan, Ravi1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aReddy, Kasala, Prabhakar1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/can-half-monolayer-pt-simulate-activity-bulk-pt-solar-hydrogen-activity-demonstration-quasi01740nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245008300055210006900138260000800207300001200215490000600227520098000233653001301213653002201226653001301248653001901261653001701280100001601297700002101313700002001334700003001354856011401384 2020 eng d a2367-198X00aCu-Ni bimetal integrated TiO2 thin film for enhanced solar hydrogen generation0 aCuNi bimetal integrated TiO2 thin film for enhanced solar hydrog cMAY a19005570 v43 a

A series of non-noble Cu-Ni bimetallic catalysts is prepared with different molar proportions of metals. Of these bimetallic catalysts, 1 wt% is subsequently integrated with titania P25. The catalysts are evaluated for solar hydrogen generation under 1 sun condition in both the powder and thin film forms. All the photocatalysts in the thin film exhibit an 8-24 times higher hydrogen yield (HY) compared with the corresponding particulate counterpart. The highest HY (41.7 mmol h(-1) g(-1)) is demonstrated for the photocatalyst Cu-Ni/TiO2 (CNT; 1:1 = Cu:Ni) in the thin film form, which is 24 times higher than that with its powder counterpart (1.75 mmol h(-1) g(-1)) and exceeds the performance of other Cu-Ni/TiO2 compositions. This enhanced activity in the thin film can be ascribed to improved absorption of visible light and an effective separation of photogenerated charge carriers at the interface of Cu-Ni/TiO2 leading to better charge carrier utilization.

10abimetals10aenergy conversion10aHydrogen10aPhotocatalysis10asolar energy1 aTudu, Bijoy1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aSaikia, Pranjal1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/cu-ni-bimetal-integrated-tio2-thin-film-enhanced-solar-hydrogen-generation02461nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245017300055210006900228260000900297300001600306490000600322520151900328653002801847653001801875653001401893653001901907653002501926100002101951700002701972700002301999700002502022700003002047856013002077 2021 eng d a2574-096200aAqueous methanol to formaldehyde and hydrogen on Pd/TiO2 by photocatalysis in direct sunlight: structure dependent activity of nano-Pd and atomic Pt-coated counterparts0 aAqueous methanol to formaldehyde and hydrogen on PdTiO2 by photo cNOV  a13347-133600 v43 aIn the present investigation, facet-controlled Pd nanoparticles with nanocube (Pd-NC) and truncated octahedron (Pd-TO) morphologies, and their counterparts with half-a-monolayer of atomic Pt coated (0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-NC and 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO) surfaces were prepared. All of them were characterized and evaluated as cocatalyst after supporting them on commercial titania (P25) (Pd-NC/P25, Pd-TO/P25, 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-NC/P25, and 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO/P25) under direct sunlight and/or one sun conditions for the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde along with solar hydrogen production. Pd-NC/P25 shows higher activity for hydrogen generation compared to Pd-TO/P25; however, activity reversal occurs with the above cocatalysts, but, after Pt-coating with further enhanced activity. The highest conversion of methanol (0.2 mu mol/h.mg) to 100% selective formaldehyde was observed with 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO/P25, while other catalysts show significantly lower methanol conversion in the following order: 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO/P25 > 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-NC/P25 > Pd-NC/P25 > Pd-TO/P25. Pt-coated on (111) facets of Pd-TO simulates the activity associated as that of Pt(111) facets and demonstrating the highest and facet dependent activity. The present study is truly in resonance with exploiting the surface properties for heterogeneous catalysis, and highlights that less than a monolayer of Pt is sufficient to simulate the activity as that of bulk Pt. It is worth exploring this concept to other metals and substrates too.10aheterogeneous catalysis10aNanomaterials10aOxidation10aPhotocatalysis10asurface modification1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aSalgaonkar, Kranti, N.1 aChauhan, Inderjeet1 aMekala, Siva, Prasad1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/aqueous-methanol-formaldehyde-and-hydrogen-pdtio2-photocatalysis-direct-sunlight-structure02229nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245010800055210006900163260000800232300000700240490000800247520142000255653001001675653002701685653001901712653001401731653002001745100001801765700002601783700002401809700003001833856012401863 2022 eng d a0974-362600aFacile, sustainable and unassisted plain water oxidation on Au/Ce0.9Ti0.1O2 nanorods in direct sunlight0 aFacile sustainable and unassisted plain water oxidation on AuCe0 cJUN a610 v1343 a

Impressive rate of solar water oxidation to molecular oxygen (O-2) has been demonstrated on nanorods (NRs) of Ce0.9Ti0.1O2 (CT-NR) and Au-deposited CT-NR (Au-CT-NR) photocatalysts with a sacrificial agent (Fe3+) and in plain water in one sun condition, direct sunlight and with lambda >= 455 nm. Probably the highest 0 2 yield of 11 mmol/h.g was observed with Au-CT-NR thin film in plain water in direct sunlight, with no sacrificial agent or applied potential. Photoelectrochemical measurements demonstrate a marked reduction in oxidation onset potential of Au-CT-NR by 150 mV with stable photocurrent (0.75 mA/cm(2)), compared to CT-NR (0.23 mA/cm(2)), indicating the operative of plasmon-induced resonant energy transfer (PIRET) process. Effective electron quenching by nanogold and hence low recombination in the depletion region is a critical step for the observation of a high rate of oxygen evolution. In addition to this, a predominant change in the nature of the valence band from O-2p dominated on CeO2 to Ce-4f dominated with CT-NR (due to Ti4+ introduction in CeO2), the efficient light absorption of photocatalysts in thin-film form, functional and effective PIRET process, and facile E-F alignment, enhances the oxygen evolution with Au-CT-NR in direct sunlight and make it highly sustainable. A possible mechanism of water oxidation is proposed from the observed experimental findings.

10aceria10aElectronic integration10aPhotocatalysis10athin film10awater splitting1 aDubey, Anjani1 aMishra, Abhaya, Kumar1 aNegi, Sanjay, Singh1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/facile-sustainable-and-unassisted-plain-water-oxidation-auce09ti01o2-nanorods-direct03098nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245012600055210006900181260000900250300001200259490000600271520215500277653001902432653001902451653001902470653001402489653001202503100002302515700002102538700002902559700002902588700002402617700001902641700003002660856013002690 2023 eng d a2574-096200aFacile one-pot synthesis of Cu x O/TiO2 photocatalysts by regulating Cu oxidation state for efficient solar H2 production0 aFacile onepot synthesis of Cu x OTiO2 photocatalysts by regulati cDEC  a104-1160 v73 a

Development of highly efficient CuxO/TiO2 photocatalysts by regulating the oxidation state of Cu exclusively in either single or mixed oxidation state(s) is desirable but difficult to achieve without employing any external reagents. The present work describes a one-pot synthesis strategy to obtain CuxO/TiO2 photocatalysts with Cu in +1 and/or +2 by using a suitable combination of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and ethylene diamine, carefully varying the Cu content, and heat treatment process. CuxO/TiO2 nanocomposite catalysts were characterized thoroughly by physicochemical methods. Textural analysis indicates a high dispersion of CuxO on porous TiO2 with p-n heterojunctions between them in CuxO/TiO2 catalysts. UV-visible spectral analysis suggests the presence of CuxO on TiO2 with significantly extended absorption from the UV to the visible region. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicates a strong synergetic interaction between TiO2 and CuxO due to the comparable CB potential and p-n heterojunction at the interface among them. Photoelectrochemical studies demonstrate excellent charge-carrier separation efficiency, low charge-transfer resistance, and high double-layer capacitance with Cu2O/TiO2 photocatalysts. Photocatalytic efficacy of a CuxO/TiO2 nanocomposite in thin-film form has been demonstrated for solar hydrogen generation in sunlight. The incorporation of Cu+ in TiO2 largely improves the H-2 production, and all of the CuxO/TiO2 nanocomposites in thin-film form exhibited higher efficiency compared to their particulate/suspension counterpart. Among the composite catalysts, TiCu-1 in thin-film form, with Cu exclusively in +1 oxidation state, exhibited a high hydrogen production rate of 7.06 mmol/hg, which is 6 times higher than its suspension counterpart; also catalysts containing mixed Cu-oxidation states exhibited about 60-70% activity as that of TiCu-1. The superior performance of Cu2O/TiO2 nanocomposites in thin-film form was due to their enhanced light harvesting ability, high mass transfer rate, and easy accessibility of the reactant species to the active sites.

10aheterojunction10aPhotocatalysis10aSolar hydrogen10athin film10atitania1 aRajendran, Sivaraj1 aMani, Sunesh, S.1 aNivedhitha, Thazhath, R.1 aAsoka, Anantha, Krishnan1 aArun, Pushkaran, S.1 aMathew, Thomas1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/facile-one-pot-synthesis-cu-x-otio2-photocatalysts-regulating-cu-oxidation-state-efficient01482nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245012100055210006900176260000800245300001200253490000700265520056300272653001000835653001400845653001900859653002000878100002400898700002000922700001900942700001700961700002000978700002100998700003001019700002301049856013201072 2023 eng d a0909-049500aPhotocatalytic setup for in situ and operando ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy at MAX IV Laboratory0 aPhotocatalytic setup for in situ and operando ambientpressure Xr cMAY a613-6190 v303 a

The Ambient-Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (APXPS) endstation at the SPECIES beamline at MAX IV Laboratory has been improved. The latest upgrades help in performing photo-assisted experiments under operando conditions in the mbar pressure range using gas and vapour mixtures whilst also reducing beam damage to the sample caused by X-ray irradiation. This article reports on endstation upgrades for APXPS and examples of scientific cases of in situ photocatalysis, photoreduction and photo-assisted atomic layer deposition (photo-ALD).

10aAPXPS10aphoto-ALD10aPhotocatalysis10asolar simulator1 aKlyushin, Alexander1 aGhosalya, Manoj1 aKokkonen, Esko1 aEads, Calley1 aJones, Rosemary1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.1 aUrpelainen, Samuli uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/photocatalytic-setup-situ-and-operando-ambient-pressure-x-ray-photoelectron-spectroscopy-max02213nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245018400055210006900239260000800308490000700316520131500323653002201638653001801660653001401678653001901692653001901711100002701730700002101757700002101778700002001799700003001819856012201849 2023 eng d a1861-472800aSelective and generic photocatalytic oxidation of alcohol with Pd-TiO2 thin films: butanols to butanal/butanone with different morphologies of Pd and 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd counterparts0 aSelective and generic photocatalytic oxidation of alcohol with P cMAR0 v183 a

The present study reports on the photocatalytic oxidation of butanols to butanal/butanone using thin film form of facet-dependent nano-Pd supported on commercial TiO2 under one-sun condition and demonstrates the generic nature. Pd-nanocube (Pd-NC(100)), Pd-truncated octahedron (Pd-TO (100) and (111)), polycrystalline (Pd-PC), and their counterparts with half-a-monolayer Pt-coated on Pd (0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd)) have been used as co-catalyst. A potentially scalable thin film form of Pd/TiO2 photocatalyst, prepared by drop-casting method, has been employed to study oxidation of n-butanol, 2-butanol, and iso-butanol to corresponding aldehyde/ketone. 100% selectivity is demonstrated to respective aldehyde/ketone with any catalyst used in the present study with varying degree of butanols conversion by NMR. 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO/TiO2 shows the highest conversion of 2-butanol to butanone (13.6% in 4 h). Continuous 10 h of reaction with the most active 0.5 theta(Pt)-Pd-TO/P25 catalyst demonstrates 31% conversion of 2-butanol to butanone, and catalyst recyclability has been demonstrated. The present protocol can be scalable to large scales to maximize the conversion in direct sunlight. Due to its generic nature, the current method can also be applied to many other alcohols and substrate molecules.

10aenergy conversion10aNanomaterials10aOxidation10aPhotocatalysis10aSustainability1 aSalgaonkar, Kranti, N.1 aKale, Sandip, R.1 aNalajala, Naresh1 aMansuri, Sayana1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/selective-and-generic-photocatalytic-oxidation-alcohol-pd-tio2-thin-films-butanols02217nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245010200055210006900157260000800226490000700234520136300241653002201604653001901626653001901645653002101664653002001685100002101705700002301726700001501749700002201764700001901786700003001805856012801835 2025 eng d a1861-472800aMesoporous Fe2O3-TiO2 integrated with plasmonic Ag nanoparticles for enhanced solar H2 production0 aMesoporous Fe2O3TiO2 integrated with plasmonic Ag nanoparticles  cMAY0 v203 a

Present work describes a sol-gel assisted one-pot synthesis of mesoporous Fe2O3-TiO2 nanocomposites (TiFe) with different Ti : Fe ratios, and fabrication of Ag-integrated with TiFe nanocomposites (TiFeAg) by a chemical reduction method and demonstrated for high solar H2 generation activity in direct sunlight. Enhanced solar H2 production is attributed to the light absorption from entire UV+Visible region of solar spectrum combined with Schottky (Ag-semiconductor) and heterojunctions (TiO2-Fe2O3), as evidenced from HRTEM and various characterization studies. TiFeAg-2 thin film (1 wt % Ag-loaded TiFe-4) displayed the highest activity with a solar H2 yield of 7.64 mmol h-1g-1, which is 48 times higher than that of bare TiO2 and 5 times higher in thin film form compared to its powder counterpart. Schottky and heterojunctions formed at the interface efficiently separate the charge carriers and increase the hydrogen production activity. The highest H2 production activity of TiFeAg-2 is partly attributed to the heterogeneous distribution of Fe3+ and metallic Ag-species with relatively high Ag/Ti surface atomic ratio. A plausible photocatalytic reaction mechanism on TiFeAg nanocomposite may involve the direct electron transfer from both Fe2O3 and TiO2 to Ag nanoparticles which are subsequently utilized for the reduction of H+ to H2.

10aenergy conversion10agreen hydrogen10aPhotocatalysis10aSolar harvesting10awater splitting1 aMani, Sunesh, S.1 aRajendran, Sivaraj1 aSaju, Simi1 aBabu, Bindhya, M.1 aMathew, Thomas1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/mesoporous-fe2o3-tio2-integrated-plasmonic-ag-nanoparticles-enhanced-solar-h2-production02691nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245015900055210006900214260000800283300001200291490000800303520180200311653003002113653001902143653001902162653003402181653001402215653001202229100002902241700003002270700002202300856012702322 2025 eng d a0360-319900aMultiphasic heterojunctions: a strategic approach to enhance the charge transfer dynamics of titania for superior solar photocatalytic hydrogen production0 aMultiphasic heterojunctions a strategic approach to enhance the  cMAR a133-1460 v1133 a

Multiphasic titania has been prepared to study the role of multiple heterojunctions on the charge transfer dynamics and resultant photocatalytic hydrogen production. Through an acid regulated hydrothermal method, four materials with following phase compositions were prepared viz. single phase anatase and rutile, biphasic anatase-rutile and triphasic anatase-brookite-rutile. The phase compositions of the materials were confirmed through XRD and HRTEM studies. The biphasic and triphasic materials were found to be highly nanoparticulate in nature while forming numerous and diverse heterojunctions. In the triphasic material, various binary and ternary heterojunctions were observed. These heterojunctions performed in harmony to ensure efficient charge transport as shown by the low charge transfer resistance and high electron lifetime. This subsequently ensured a high reduction capability and photocurrent response. This all culminated into the triphasic material outperforming all other materials in solar photocatalytic hydrogen production. The H2 yield from the triphasic material was 81% and 40% higher than the pristine anatase and the biphasic material respectively. Additionally, by using the triphasic material in thin film form, a 4-fold increase in the hydrogen yield with a high apparent quantum efficiency of 8.2 % was achieved over the particulate form. The superior charge transport and photocurrent response due to the greater varied heterojunction formation in the anatase-rutile-brookite material as opposed to that in the biphasic material led to this superior performance. Thus, multiple heterojunctions, in this case, a triphasic heterojunction of anatase, rutile and brookite phases opens up a new avenue of research for efficient green hydrogen production.

10aGreen hydrogen production10aheterojunction10aPhotocatalysis10aPhotoelectrochemical analysis10athin film10atitania1 aNingthoukhongjam, Pujita1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.1 aNair, Ranjith, G. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/multiphasic-heterojunctions-strategic-approach-enhance-charge-transfer-dynamics-titania02326nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245012700055210006900182260000800251490000700259520134800266653002301614653002601637653002401663653001901687653001201706100002001718700002701738700002901765700002401794700002301818700002801841700003001869700001801899856013101917 2025 eng d a1861-472800aSynthesis of Pd-integrated carbon Dot@TiO2 thin film for photocatalytic glycerol reforming reaction for producing hydrogen0 aSynthesis of Pdintegrated carbon DotTiO2 thin film for photocata cNOV0 v203 a

A series of thin-film photocatalysts comprising TiO2 modified with carbon dots (CDs) dispersed either with palladium (Pd-CD/TiO2) or nickel (Ni-CD/TiO2) were synthesized via solid-state and wet-impregnation methods. Morphological characterization (HR-TEM, SEM-EDS) confirmed the anatase phase of TiO2 and the atomic dispersion of metal-integrated CDs on its surface. UV-vis DRS and XPS analyses revealed a marginal red shift in band-gap and the presence of sp2-hybridized graphitic carbon, and metal-carbon interactions, indicating enhanced light absorption and charge separation through Schottky junctions. Under direct sunlight illumination, Pd-CD/TiO2 thin film exhibited superior hydrogen yield (1167 mu mol g-1 h-1) and maintained stability over 25 h, outperforming Ni-CD/TiO2 (494 mu mol g-1 h-1) and bare TiO2 (166 mu mol g-1 h-1) photocatalyst thin films. Concurrent glycerol oxidation at neutral pH (pH similar to 7) yields glycolaldehyde (41% selectivity), formic acid, and dihydroxyacetone as value-added products. Enhanced photocurrent density and lower impedance of Pd-CD/TiO2 corroborate improved charge carrier separation and dynamics. The results demonstrate that Pd-CD synergistically improves the photocatalytic performance of the Pd-CD/TiO2 for sustainable hydrogen generation and selective biomass valorization.

10aGlycerol oxidation10aGraphitic carbon dots10ahydrogen production10aPhotocatalysis10atitania1 aAbraham, Athira1 aSalgaonkar, Kranti, N.1 aNivedhitha, Thazhath, R.1 aEkal, Vishal, Ashok1 aKondhekar, Deepali1 aChakraborty, Shubhankar1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S.1 aSaha, Avishek uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/synthesis-pd-integrated-carbon-dottio2-thin-film-photocatalytic-glycerol-reforming-reaction02265nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245011600055210006900171260000800240490000700248520145100255653002201706653001901728653001901747653002101766653001701787100002901804700002701833700001801860700003001878856012701908 2025 eng d a1867-388000aVisible-light-driven photocatalytic glycerol oxidation to value-added and highly selective glyceric/lactic acid0 aVisiblelightdriven photocatalytic glycerol oxidation to valueadd cSEP0 v173 a

Achieving economical and sustainable artificial photosynthesis (APS) in direct sunlight for liquid fuel production with high efficiency remains an important challenge. A major obstacle in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation of organic compounds is attaining high selectivity with the desired product(s). This study introduces a novel strategy by integrating BiVO4 quantum dots (BVQDs), structurally and electronically, into the nanopores of commercial TiO2 (BVT for BVQDs integrated in pores of TiO2) to improve solar-driven photocatalysis. The band gap of the BVT photoanode decreases to 2.53 eV as compared to pure TiO2 (3.2 eV), which enhances visible light absorption and charge separation. BVT with Pt as a co-catalyst acts as an APS system, which selectively oxidizes glycerol into lactic acid (100% selectivity at 1 mM glycerol) and glyceric acid (98% selectivity at 100 mM), while simultaneously generating green hydrogen. Selectivity of the product can be further controlled by anaerobic or aerobic conditions as well as the length of the reaction time. Direct integration of BVQDs into TiO2 mesopores significantly enhances charge separation as well as utilization at redox sites. Current work provides key insights into optimizing photocatalytic conditions for highly selective value-added chemical production, which highlights the sustainability and efficacy of TiO2-based semiconductors with quantum dot integration.

10aenergy conversion10aEnergy storage10aPhotocatalysis10aQuantum material10asolar energy1 aKulkarni-Sambhare, Mukta1 aSalgaonkar, Kranti, N.1 aSaha, Avishek1 aGopinath, Chinnakonda, S. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/visible-light-driven-photocatalytic-glycerol-oxidation-value-added-and-highly-selective