Author(s)

Gyula Halasi, Gábor Schubert, Frigyes Solymosi

MTA-SZTE Reaction Kinetics and Surface Chemistry Research Group, Szeged, Hungary.

The photo-induced vapor-phase decomposition of dimethyl ether was investigated on Pt metals deposited on pure and N-doped TiO₂. Infrared spectroscopic measurements revealed that adsorption of dimethyl ether on TiO₂ samples underwent partial dissociation to methoxy species. Illumination of the (CH₃)₂O-TiO₂ and (CH₃)₂O-M/TiO₂ systems led to the conversion of methoxy into adsorbed formate. In the case of metal-promoted TiO₂ catalysts, CO bonded to the metals was also detected. Pure titania exhibited a very little photoactivity. Deposition of Pt metals on TiO₂ markedly enhanced the extent of photocatalytic decomposition of dimethyl ether to give H₂ and CO₂ as the major products. A small amount of CO and methyl formate was also identified in the products. The most active metal was the Rh followed by Pd, Ir, Pt and Ru. When the bandgap of TiO₂ was lowered by N-doping, the photocatalytic activity of metal/TiO₂ catalysts appreciably increased. The effect of metals was explained by a better separation of charge carriers induced by illumination and by enhanced electronic interaction between metal nanoparticles and TiO₂.

Dimethyl Ether, Photocatalytic Decomposition, Production of Hydrogen, TiO₂, Pt Metals, Doping TiO₂ with N

Halasi, G. , Schubert, G. and Solymosi, F. (2014) Production of Hydrogen: Photocatalytic Decomposition of Dimethyl Ether over Metal-Promoted TiO₂ Catalysts. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 5, 455-466. doi: 10.4236/ajac.2014.58054.