Synthesis and high photocatalytic hydrogen production of SrTiO3 nanoparticles from water splitting under UV irradiation

Cubic SrTiO3 powders were synthesized by three methods: the polymerized complex (PC) method, the solid state reaction, and the milling assistant method. The samples obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mean diameters of the as-synthesized SrTiO3 particles were 30 nm by the polymerized complex method, 140 nm by the solid state reaction, and 30 nm by the milling assistant method. The photocatalytic activity of hydrogen evolution from water splitting over SrTiO3 powders by the polymerized complex method is higher than that by the solid state reaction and the milling assistant method. Particle size, uniformity of components, and particle aggregation extent affect the photocatalytic activity of SrTiO3 for hydrogen evolution. The best rate of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution over SrTiO3 by the polymerized complex method under UV illumination is as high as 3.2 mmol h−1 g−1.