Hollow spherical RuO2@TiO2@Pt bifunctional photocatalyst for coupled H2 production and pollutant degradation

•New bifuntional RuO2@TiO2@Pt photocatalyst in hollow sphere.•RuO2 and Pt deposited on outer and inner TiO2 shell surfaces.•Coupled photocatalytic H2 production and organics degradation.•Directed photocharge transfer andcollection to reduce recombination.•Enhanced light harvesting owing to multiple reflections.

A novel bifuntional RuO2@TiO2@Pt photocatalyst was designed by control-assembling TiO2 hollow spheres with RuO2 and Pt deposited onto outer and inner shell surfaces, respectively. This RuO2@TiO2@Pt was used in coupled photocatalytic H2 production and organic pollutant degradation, which showed the synergetic effect between photocatalytic oxidation and reduction. Meanwhile, the RuO2 facilitated the transfer and collection of photo-induced holes generated from TiO2, followed by oxidizing organic pollutants for degradation. Similarly, the Pt promoted the transfer and enrichment of photoelectrons, which favored the proton reduction to H2 as a cocatalyst. Thus, the RuO2@TiO2@Pt exhibited very high activity owing to the enhanced light harvesting through multiple reflections in the TiO2 hollow chamber, the rapid separation corresponding to the low recombination of photoelectron-hole and the cooperative promoting effect from RuO2 and Pt cocatalysts in photocatalytic oxidation and reduction.

Graphical abstractRuO2@TiO2@Pt hollow spheres with RuO2 and Pt individually deposited onto outer and inner TiO2 shell surfaces were synthesized. This photocatalyst exhibited high activity in coupled photocatalytic H2 production and organics degradation owing to the enhanced light harvesting through multiple reflections and the RuO2-Pt synergetic effect for enriching photocharges and diminishing photoelectron-hole recombination.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide