Nanoparticles as H2-Evolution Catalysts

Nanoparticles as H2-Evolution Catalysts

Author: ChemViews

Shunichi Fukuzumi and co-workers, Osaka University, Japan, have reported an efficient photocatalytic hydrogen-evolution system without the electron mediator methyl viologen, which is known to inhibit H2-evolution catalysts. They use the 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion as the photocatalyst, dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as the electron donor, and water-soluble Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) as the H2-evolution catalyst.

Cubic PtNPs (6.3 nm) exhibited the maximum rate of H2 generation. A substantial inverse kinetic isotope effect was seen in the rate of electron transfer, suggesting formation of the Pt–H bond is the rate determining step.

Hydrogen production from photocatalytic systems represents a clean source of energy and these mechanistic insights could lead to the development of high efficiency H2-gerenating systems based on Ni or Fe instead of precious metals.


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