Synergy between unique Pt–C coordination and Pt quantum dots on TiO2 for exceptional photocatalytic methanol dehydrogenation

Abstract

Photocatalytic hydrogen production has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of carbon-intensive chemical industries. Loading single atoms is known to enhance photocatalytic efficiency, as their activity is heavily influenced by the microenvironment. Therefore, achieving precise control over the microenvironment of single atoms is crucial but remains a substantial challenge. Here, we reported a unique Pt–C/TiO₂ photocatalyst with Pt quantum dots (Pt_QD) and C-coordinated Pt single atoms (Pt_SA). Under the given experimental conditions, the hydrogen production rate reaches 43.2 mmol hour⁻¹ with 70 mg of the photocatalyst. Notably, the hydrogen molecules generated per incident photon (H₂/photon) reach 0.92. The special coordination environment influenced by C not only provides a direct transmission channel for photogenerated electrons but also activates surrounding Ti, thus improving the separation of the electron-hole pairs and H₂ production performance. This research provides a prospect of efficient on-site hydrogen production.