Synthesis of Cr2O3/TNTs nanocomposite and its photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light irradiation

A novel Cr2O3/TNTs nanocomposite was prepared by loaded suitable amount of amorphous Cr2O3 on titanate nanotubes (TNTs) via hydrothermal reaction and impregnation process. XRD, SEM and TEM results demonstrated that the amorphous Cr2O3 nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed on the surface of TNTs. The diffuse reflectance UV-visible absorption spectra exhibited that the spectral response of TNTs was extended to visible light region by coupled with Cr2O3. The 2.5Cr2O3/TNTs nanocomposite showed the highest activity of hydrogen generation by photocatalytic water-splitting under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). The high activity of H2 evolution for Cr2O3/TNTs nanocomposites was associated with the donor level in the forbidden band of TNTs semiconductor provided by dopant Cr3+ and a probably photocatalytic mechanism was proposed.