Photocatalytic Water Splitting for Hydrogen Production with Novel M2YbSbO7 (M = In, Gd, Y) by Using Visible Light Photoenergy

Novel photocatalysts M2YbSbO7 (M=In, Gd, Y) were synthesized by solid state reaction method for the first time. A comparative study on the structural and photocatalytic properties of M2YbSbO7 M2YbSbO7 (M=In, Gd, Y) was reported. The results showed that In2YbSbO7, Gd2YbSbO7, and Y2YbSbO7 crystallized with the pyrochlore-type structure, cubic crystal system and space group Fd3m. For the photocatalytic water splitting reaction, H2 or O2 evolution was observed from pure water with In2YbSbO7, Gd2YbSbO7, or Y2YbSbO7 as the photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. (wavelength>420 nm). Moreover, under visible light irradiation (>420 nm), H2 and O2 were also evolved by using In2YbSbO7, Gd2YbSbO7, or Y2YbSbO7 as catalyst from CH3OH/H2O and AgNO3/H2O solutions respectively. The In2YbSbO7 photocatalyst showed the highest activity compared with Gd2YbSbO7 or Y2YbSbO7. At the same time, The Y2YbSbO7 photocatalyst showed higher activity compared with Gd2YbSbO7. The photocatalytic activities were further improved under visible light irradiation with In2YbSbO7, Gd2YbSbO7, or Y2YbSbO7 being loaded by Pt, NiO, or RuO2. The effect of Pt was better than that of NiO or RuO2 for improving the photocatalytic activity of In2YbSbO7, Gd2YbSbO7, or Y2YbSbO7