Fe2O3/carbon spheres for efficient photo-catalytic hydrogen production from water and under visible light irradiation

A new photo-catalyst based on Fe2O3 supported on carbon spheres (CSs) to improve the charge transport property of Fe2O3 in the photo-reduction of water under light irradiation is reported. The CSs (d ~560 nm) were prepared by a non-catalytic CVD method from C2H2 and characterized by XRD, UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopy, chemical analysis and TEM. Fe (10%) was added onto the CSs using a deposition precipitation method. The Fe-CS material exhibited a band gap of 1.17 eV and a hydrogen evolution rate ~370 mol/g s in Na2SO4 electrolyte (pH ~7). This is an improved photo-activity, relative to Fe2O3 mixed with CSs (179 mol/g s), Fe2O3 (147 mol/g s) and CSs (281 mol/g s) and the enhanced activity is attributed to the light absorption behavior of the carbon spheres, the Fe2O3 as well as the intimate contact between Fe2O3 and the CSs.