Title
Peptide Self-Assembled Biofilm with Unique Electron Transfer Flexibility for Highly Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis
Author
Yun-Xiang Pan, Huai-Ping Cong, Yu-Long Men, Sen Xin, Zheng-Qing Sun, Chang-Jun Liu, Shu-Hong Yu
Year
2015
Journal
ACS Nano
Abstract
Inspired by natural photosynthesis, biomaterial-based catalysts are being confirmed to be excellent for visible-light-driven photocatalysis, but are far less well explored. Herein, an ultrathin and uniform biofilm fabricated from cold-plasma-assisted peptide self-assembly was employed to support Eosin Y (EY) and Pt nanoparticles to form an EY/Pt/Film catalyst for photocatalytic water splitting to H2 and photocatalytic CO2 reduction with water to CO, under irradiation of visible light. The H2 evolution rate on EY/Pt/Film is 62.1 μmol h–1, which is about 5 times higher than that on Pt/EY and 1.5 times higher than that on the EY/Pt/TiO2 catalyst. EY/Pt/Film exhibits an enhanced CO evolution rate (19.4 μmol h–1), as compared with Pt/EY (2.8 μmol h–1) and EY/Pt/TiO2 (6.1 μmol h–1). The outstanding activity of EY/Pt/Film results from the unique flexibility of the biofilm for an efficient transfer of the photoinduced electrons. The present work is helpful for designing efficient biomaterial-based catalysts for visible-light-driven photocatalysis and for imitating natural photosynthesis.
Full Article
Instrument
J-810
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Nanostructures, Materials