Formation of High-Performance Photocatalysts using Heterostructured Nanoparticles

In the case of nanoparticles consisting of a single chemical species, the size, shape, and crystal structure are the primary structures to be controlled. When nanoparticles consist of two or more chemical species, we have other parameters to be controlled, that is, composition and phase separated manner (solid solution , core-shell, and anisotropically phase-segregated structures). Both the solid solution and the core-shell structures are isotropic from the viewpoint of phase separation. If a heterostructure in which two chemical species are anisotropically separated can be formed, electrons and holes generated by photoexcitation can be separated into separate phases to achieve long-life charge separation for a high-performance photocatalyst. Heterostructured nanoparticles that function as photocatalysts include semiconductor/semiconductor and metal/semiconductor combinations.


Synthesis and Photocatalytic Properties of Semiconductor-Semiconductor Heterostructured Nanoparticles


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Synthesis of Cocatalyst Nanoparticles for Water Splitting Reaction


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Boosting photocatalytic overall water splitting by Co doping into Mn3O4 nanoparticles as oxygen evolution cocatalysts
（Nanoscale 2018, 10, 10420. (Back Cover))
Phase-Segregated NiPx@FePyOz Core@Shell Nanoparticles: Ready-to-Use Nanocatalysts for Electro- and Photo-Catalytic Water Oxidation through in-situ Activation by Structural Transformation and Spontaneous Ligand Removal
（Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 4830. (Highlighted in Vincent Artero's Editor's Choice Selection))