Boosting photocatalytic activity of Pd decorated TiO2 nanocrystal with exposed (001) facets for selective alcohol oxidations

• Solvothermal hydrolysis combining photoreduction deposition route.
• Pd decoration on TiO2 nanocrystal with exposed (001) facets.
• Photocatalytic selective alcohol oxidations under UV-light irradiation.
• Boosting photocatalytic activity via synergetic promoting effects.

Pd decorated TiO2 nanocrystal with exposed (001) facets was synthesized via solvothermal hydrolysis combining photoreduction deposition route, which exhibited a great enhancement in activity and stability of photocatalytic selective alcohol oxidations under UV light irradiation in aqueous medium. The superior activity of Pd decorated TiO2 nanocrystal with exposed (001) facets was attributed to the synergistic promoting effects of the following factors: firstly, the exposed (001) facets with higher surface energy facilitated the activation of reactant molecules and the photocatalytic oxidation; secondly, the increased oxygen vacancies and enhanced O2 adsorption on (001) facets could trap photoelectrons and thus, inhibit their recombination with holes; thirdly, the decoration with Pd nanoparticles effectively reduce the photocharge recombination rate by capturing photoelectrons. Meanwhile, this photocatalyst displayed excellent durability owning to the strong Pd-TiO2 interaction against deactivation caused by either Pd leaching or Pd aggregation.

TiO2 nanocrystal with exposed (001) facets and Pd nanoparticles was synthesized by solvothermal hydrolysis combining photoreduction deposition route, which exhibited high activity in selective alcohol oxidations in aqueous medium under UV light irradiation owning to synergistic promoting effects via the high crystallization degree, the (001) facets with high surface energy and abundant surface oxygen vacancies, enhanced O2 adsorption, and strong Pd-TiO2 interaction.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide