Efficient hydrogen evolution from aqueous mixture of I− and acetonitrile using a merocyanine dye-sensitized Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst under visible light irradiation

Hydrogen production from aqueous mixture of I− and acetonitrile using dye-sensitized Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst was investigated under visible light irradiation. It was found that energetically uphill H2 formation with a high quantum efficiency (∼2%) took place using a merocyanine dye-sensitized Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst and an I− electron donor in an acetonitrile–water mixture (AN:H2O=95:5 by volume) under visible light irradiation (λ>440 nm). Addition of acetonitrile, which is a good solvent for I− and merocyanine dye, significantly improved H2 evolution.