Effect of liquid phase plasma on photocatalysis of water for hydrogen evolution

This study examined the effects of liquid phase plasma irradiation on the photocatalytic decomposition of water for hydrogen evolution. TiO₂ and metal-loaded TiO₂ nanocrystallites were introduced as photocatalysts. Na-Y zeolite was applied as a support for the TiO₂ nanocrystallites. The photocatalytic activities of the photocatalysts were estimated for hydrogen production from water. Hydrogen evolution appeared in the photodecomposition of water without photocatalysts. This was caused by the decomposition of water by plasma irradiation in water directly. The hydrogen evolution efficiency improved with increasing conductivity of water. The rate of hydrogen evolution was increased by the metal loading (Ni, Co, Fe) on the TiO₂ surface. Na-Y zeolite can be used as an efficient photocatalytic support for the fixation of TiO₂. The TiO₂ nanocrystallites were incorporated above 40 wt% on Na-Y support.