Fabrication of TiO2 film with different morphologies on Ni anode and application in photoassisted water electrolysis

The anode of an alkaline electrolytic cell for water electrolysis was modified by TiO2 photocatalysts with different morphologies. The water electrolysis was coupled with photocatalytic decomposition of water by irradiation of UV light on the modified anode. And a feasible process for the hydrogen production of water electrolysis assisted by photocatalysis (WEAP) was proposed and experimentally confirmed. The results show that the highly ordered, vertically oriented tubular arrays structure on Ni anode surface has better hydrogen production performance than random TiO2. In WEAP process, the maximum rate of hydrogen production is 2.77 ml/(h*cm2) when the anode modified by ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays, compared to traditional alkaline electrolytic cell for water electrolysis with Ni anode, H2-production rate increased by 139%.

Graphical abstract.Download full-size imageHighlights► The anode of an alkaline electrolytic cell for water electrolysis was modified by TiO2 photocatalysts with different morphologies. ► The WEAP was based on the traditional water electrolysis; Ni and Ni-Cr alloy were anode and cathode, respectively. ► The H2-production rate in WEAP with the anode modified by ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays increased by 139%.