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Article

Evaluation of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Zr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films

by
Luis F. Garay-Rodríguez
1,*,
M. R. Alfaro Cruz
1,2,
Julio González-Ibarra
1,
Leticia M. Torres-Martínez
1,3,* and
Jin Hyeok Kim
4
1
Departamento de Ecomateriales y Energía, Facultad de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza 66455, Mexico
2
Departamento de Ecomateriales y Energía, Facultad de Ingeniería Civil, CONAHCYT-Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Cd. Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza 66455, Mexico
3
Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, S.C., Miguel de Cervantes 120 Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31110, Mexico
4
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center, Chonnam National University, Yongbong-ro 77, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Surfaces 2024, 7(3), 560-570; https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7030038
Submission received: 5 July 2024 / Revised: 2 August 2024 / Accepted: 6 August 2024 / Published: 9 August 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Catalytic Surfaces and Interfaces)
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Abstract

Doping titanium dioxide has become a strategy for enhancing its properties and reducing its recombination issues, with the aim of increasing its efficiency in photocatalytic processes. In this context, this work studied its deposition over glass substrates using a sol–gel dip coating methodology. The effect of doping TiO2 with Zirconium cations in low molar concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1%) in terms of its structural and optical properties was evaluated. The structural characterization confirmed the formation of amorphous thin films with Zr introduced into the TiO2 cell (confirmed by XPS characterization), in addition to increasing and defining the formed particles and their size slightly. These changes resulted in a decrease in the transmittance percentage and their energy band gap. Otherwise, their photocatalytic properties were evaluated in hydrogen production using ethanol as a sacrificial agent and UV irradiation. The hydrogen evolution increased as a function of the Zr doping, the sample with the largest Zr concentration (0.1% mol) being the most efficient, evolving 38.6 mmolcm−2 of this gas. Zr doping favored the formation of defects in TiO2, being responsible for this enhancement in photoactivity.
Keywords: TiO2; thin films; H2 production; photocatalysis TiO2; thin films; H2 production; photocatalysis
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MDPI and ACS Style

Garay-Rodríguez, L.F.; Alfaro Cruz, M.R.; González-Ibarra, J.; Torres-Martínez, L.M.; Kim, J.H. Evaluation of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Zr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films. Surfaces 2024, 7, 560-570. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7030038

AMA Style

Garay-Rodríguez LF, Alfaro Cruz MR, González-Ibarra J, Torres-Martínez LM, Kim JH. Evaluation of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Zr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films. Surfaces. 2024; 7(3):560-570. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7030038

Chicago/Turabian Style

Garay-Rodríguez, Luis F., M. R. Alfaro Cruz, Julio González-Ibarra, Leticia M. Torres-Martínez, and Jin Hyeok Kim. 2024. "Evaluation of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Zr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films" Surfaces 7, no. 3: 560-570. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7030038

APA Style

Garay-Rodríguez, L. F., Alfaro Cruz, M. R., González-Ibarra, J., Torres-Martínez, L. M., & Kim, J. H. (2024). Evaluation of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Zr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films. Surfaces, 7(3), 560-570. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces7030038

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