| Solar energy utilization is an attractive option for new energy technology and economic development. Our research is the formulation of catalyst materials for solar production of hydrogen from water. Titanium(IV) oxide has been explored for water splitting; however, a major challenge is that titanium(IV) oxide can only absorb UV light. Visible light absorption can be increased by metal ion or anion doping by creating interband states. Most dopant protocols lead to deposition of dopant ions throughout the solid, and interfacial deposition has received very little attention. We have developed a method to selectively attach transition metal ions and lanthanide ions on the surface of titanium(IV) oxide nanorods using metal chlorides as precursors. The present study demonstrates that Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu (II), Eu(III), Ce(III), Pr(III) and Er(III) were coordinated to the surface of oleic acid capped TiO2 nanorods (NRs) by post-synthesis method without any phase or morphology transformation. Metal ion loading could be carefully controlled, and we show a titration curve for addition of transition metal ions and Eu(III) to the nanorod surface. The materials were characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental analysis, XPS and powder X-ray diffraction. X-ray photoelectron spectra were obtained for a series of M-TiO2 samples in which transition metal (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) ions are directly attached to the surface of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals. Further, we report sequential, quantitative loading of transition metal ions (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) to the surface of rod-shape anatase TiO2 nanocrystals in bimetallic combinations (6C2 = 15). TEM, PXRD, UV-Vis, XPS and elemental analysis characterization show that bimetallic combinations were synthesized successfully. |
