New evidence for the regulation of photogenerated electron transfer on surface potential energy controlled co-catalyst on TiO2 - The investigation of hydrogen production over selectively exposed Au facet on Au/TiO2

The difference between Au{111} facet Fermi level and TiO2 conduction band was 0.16 eV larger than that between Au{100} facet and TiO2. As a result, the transfer of electrons from the conduction band of TiO2 to Au{111} facets was more feasible thermodynamically (solid curve), leading to the faster accumulation of electrons on the {111} facets for water reduction.