Cu sub(2)O-sensitized TiO sub(2) nanorods with nanocavities for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production under solar irradiation

Hydrogen trititanate (H[sub 2]Ti[sub 3]O[sub 7]) nanorods were synthesized by using a hydrothermal method. The transformation of the crystal structure from H2Ti307 to 1(02 occurred into either single crystalline TIO[sub 2] (B) (calcined at 400 or 450 [degrees]CI or bicrystalline TIO[sub 2] (B) with anatase phases [calcined at 500 or 550 [degrees]C] during a calcination process. Calcination temperature from 450 to 550 [degrees]C induced both phase transformation and formation of large size nanocavities, and the changes in the nanorods morphology were confirmed using HRTEM/TEM images. Nanocomposites of Cu[sub 2]O/TiO[sub 2] nanorods with different copper loading (Cu[subx]TNR) were prepared by using the wet impregnation method with hO2 nanorods [calcined at 500[degrees]C] and copper nitrate as copper source. The present study clearly demonstrated that Cu loaded on titania nanorods containing nanocavities were found to be more efficient and promising photocatalyst for H[sub 2] production under solar light irradiation.