Enhanced TiO2 photocatalysis by Cu in hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solution

Cu particles have been deposited on TiO2 by incipient-wetness impregnation followed by low-temperature (400°C) calcination/reduction, and the metallization process leads to significant enhancement in photocatalytic activity of TiO2 for H2 production from aqueous methanol solution. The activity exhibits up to 10-fold enhancement at the optimum loading of ∼1.2 wt% Cu. Spectroscopic studies indicated that the Cu particles were oxidized during reaction to have a valence lower those of thermally oxidized particles, which showed inferior activities. Dissolution of Cu ion in TiO2 lattice, in contrast, resulted in reduction in photocatalytic activity.