Robust and effective Ru-bipyridyl dye sensitized Ti-MCM-48 cubic mesoporous materials for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light illumination

• Titania containing cubic mesoporous materials was synthesized at room temperature.
• Ru-bipyridyl dye was effectively anchored on Ti-MCM-48.
• Visible light induced solar hydrogen was examined over Ru dye sensitized Ti-MCM-48.

A visible light absorbing solar hydrogen evolution photocatalyst was developed by adsorbing [Ru(bpy)2(dcbpy)][PF6]2 (Ru-4,4′ dye) to Ti-MCM-48 cubic mesoporous materials. The Ru-4,4′ dye was found to bind strongly with Ti-MCM-48 without sacrificing the periodic mesoporous MCM-48 cubic structure. The photocatalytic activities of Ru-4,4′ sensitized Ti-MCM-48 materials for solar hydrogen production under visible light illumination was examined. The recycling studies indicate long-term stability of the Ru-4,4′-Ti-MCM-48 photocatalysts. The results indicate that cubic MCM-48 mesoporous materials with spatially isolated titania moieties sensitized by [Ru(bpy)2(dcbpy)][PF6]2 are robust photocatalysts for solar hydrogen production.

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