Photo-catalytic conversion of oxygenated hydrocarbons to hydrogen over heteroatom-doped TiO2 catalysts

Here we report a sustainable process for photo-induced hydrogen production from aqueous solutions of oxygenated hydrocarbons. Doping N and B into TiO2 noticeably improves its activity for hydrogen production. The addition of oxygenated hydrocarbons into water serves both as a hydrogen source and as an electron donor, which substantially enhances hydrogen production as compared with that for the photo-catalytic splitting of pure water. Other biomass-derived compounds such as glucose and sucrose are also shown to have potential for hydrogen production by this photo-catalytic conversion.