Dopant dependent band gap tailoring of hydrothermally prepared cubic SrTi(x)M(1-x)O(3) (M=Ru,Rh,Ir,Pt,Pd) nanoparticles as visible light photocatalysts

Nanostructured cubic SrTiO(3) particles were hydrothermally synthesized and studied experimentally/theoretically for photoreduction of water. The particles were doped with metal atoms (M=Ru,Rh,Ir,Pt,Pd), which acquired high cyrstallinity after thermal treatment. SrTiO(3):Rh showed the highest rate of H(2) evolution under lambda>420 nm photons. The density functional theory calculations of SrTi(x)M(1-x)O(3) (M=Ru,Rh,Ir,Pt) implied that the photocatalytic activity of SrTi(x)Rh(1-x)O(3) was due to its suitable band energetics, and the induced hybridized Ti/Rh orbitals in the bandgap of SrTiO(3). (C) 2008 American Institute of Physicsclose353