Rational removal of stabilizer-ligands from platinum nanoparticles supported on photocatalysts by self-photocatalysis degradation

• We report a facile method, self-photodegradation to remove the residue ligands.
• Morphology and electron state of Pt/TiO2 was almost intact after degradation.
• Pt/TiO2 treated using this method showed highest photocatalytic activity.
• Highest ratio of positive charged Pt and TiC bond formed in calcined Pt/TiO2.
• Calcined Pt/TiO2 showed lowest photocatalytic activity.

The emergence of precise synthesis supported catalysts based on colloidal method is of fundamental interest for catalysis community. Stabilizer-ligands are necessary to be removed after synthesis process to get “clean” catalyst. Here we reported that a procedure, self-photodegradation in vacuum, could effectively remove the ligands on the surface of photocatalyst oxide without affecting the morphology and electron state of particle and support, while calcination method was identified to influence both of them. We showed how that would result in quite a different performance in photocatalysis hydrogen evolution from aqueous methanol solution. These results thus outlined a rational and green strategy for “collaborating” with photocatalysis process to build up designed supported catalyst architectures.

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