Boosting ethanol electrooxidation of AgSrTiO3 in the dark from the Electro-photocatalytic “memory effect”

The cost and efficiency of the electro-photocatalyst have a direct impact on the practical use of fuel cells which are inexpensive and highly effective. Therefore, it is crucial to design a reasonably priced electro-photocatalyst. Electro-photocatalysts with memory effect, which can maintain electrocatalytic performance in the dark, have been the subject of recent research. The perovskite structure of SrTiO3 is characterized by its strong electro-photocatalytic activity, broad surface area, low toxicity, and low cost. Due to a restricted capacity for electron storage, electro-photocatalysts with memory effect activities are minimal. As a result, doping SrTiO3 with cations like Ag can change its electrical characteristics, increasing electro-photocatalytic activity. To explore the electro-photocatalytic memory effect of the Ag-doped SrTiO3, we developed a sonochemical approach for its manufacture. X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV-vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to investigate the Ag-doped SrTiO3 nano-photocatalyst. Doping SrTiO3 with Ag allowed us to create an Ag-doped SrTiO3 nano- electrophotocatalyst. Under light and after illumination, the Ag-doped SrTiO3 nanophotocatalyst showed excellent performance in ethanol electrooxidation in aqueous alkaline media. The effects of temperature, pH, amount of electro-photocatalyst, and ethanol solution concentration on the photocatalytic activity were examined. It can be speculated that this work paved the way for the engineering and design of electro-nanocatalysts to be employed in high-performance DEFCs. Keywords: ethanol electrooxidation, memory effect, electro-photocatalyst, fuel cells.