Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Coated TiO2 Substrate

This study provides insight regarding photocatalytic hydrogen production by a transparent thin film of TiO₂ photocatalyst coated on a glass substrate doped with Platinum. The experiment was designed into two parts: The first part was on the manufacturing and physical characterization of titanium dioxide surface coating and the second part focused on hydrogen production. The TiO₂ thin coatings were characterized by using different analytical methods, like X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The effects of some hydrogen production variables such as volume percentage composition of ethanol and surface area of coated substrate were investigated over a period of two hour interval. Effectiveness of coatings on the substrate was tested by reusing the substrate with new solution of ethanol. From the analysis performed it was observed that hydrogen production rate significantly increased as percentage ethanol composition increased. Similar trend was also observed with respect to the increase surface area. The catalyst surface was also obsevered to be deactivated with further reusing.