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Photocatalysis by au nanoparticles: Reforming of methanol

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Abstract

Au/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and tested for the room temperature photocatalytic reforming of methanol in aqueous solution to produce hydrogen. These catalysts proved to be active for this reaction, with the dependence on loading of gold showing a double maximum in yield at 0.2 and 2 weight % with a low rate below 0.01% and above 10%. A model is proposed for the reaction, involving band gap excitation of titania electrons to produce O- species which are then used to oxidise the methanol via adsorbed methoxy, which is formed by dehydrogenation on the metal component. The reaction is truly bi-functional and only takes place at the interface between the metal and the support.

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Author notes

  1. David James

    Present address: Technology Centre, Sonning Common, Oxfordshire

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3TB, UK

    Michael Bowker, Lucy Millard, Jane Greaves, David James & Jorge Soares

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, UK

    Michael Bowker, Lucy Millard, Jane Greaves, David James & Jorge Soares

Authors
  1. Michael Bowker
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  2. Lucy Millard
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  3. Jane Greaves
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  4. David James
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  5. Jorge Soares
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Bowker.

Additional information

Professor Michael Bowker is involved in various aspects of nanoscience, surface science and catalysis. He is Professor of Surface Chemistry at Cardiff University, having previously been Professor of Physical Chemistry at Reading University Prior to that he was a founder of the Leverhulme Centre and the Surface Science Centre at Liverpool University. He spent 8 years in industry, with ICI at their Corporate Laboratory after spending two years in the Chemical Engineering Department at Stanford University. He has 200 publications and the research group currently consists of 12 people 4 of whom are working on various aspects of Au catalysis and nanoscience.

Lucy Millard is completing her PhD thesis on aspects of photocatalyitic hydrogen production at Reading University.

Jane Greaves is completing exprimental work on aspects of photocatalytic hydrogen production using gold catalysts at Reading University.

Jorge Soares is completing his PhD work at Cardiff University on novel Au catalysts for oxidation reactions.

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Bowker, M., Millard, L., Greaves, J. et al. Photocatalysis by au nanoparticles: Reforming of methanol. Gold Bull 37, 170–173 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03215209

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03215209

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