Functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles for photocatalytic water splitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717072-B2
Application number	US-201415105231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2013
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

The present invention relates to a photocatalyst composition having visible light activity for hydrogen production through water splitting. More particularly, the present invention discloses a photocatalyst composition comprising a zinc oxide nanoparticles and a conjugated organic moiety selected from the group consisting of oligothiophenes, azo dyes, and perylenes.

First claim

We claim:

1. A photocatalyst composition consisting of:
95-97 wt % zinc oxide nanoparticles;
2-4 wt % conjugated organic moiety;
and 1 wt % co-catalyst,
wherein the conjugated organic moiety is an oligothiophene; and wherein the oligothiophene is [2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene]-5-5″-dicarboxylic acid.

2. The photocatalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the composition is photoactive in visible light.

3. The photocatalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the co-catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, silver, and nickel (II) oxide.

4. Process for the use of the photocatalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 comprising in splitting water for hydrogen evolution with the photocatalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 .

5. A process for the preparation of the photo catalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said process comprises the steps of:
i. refluxing KOH in methanol at 60° C. for 30 minutes to obtain a refluxed KOH solution, adding, drop wise, a dissolved solution of zinc acetate, prepared by adding Zn(OAc) 2 .2H 2 O in methanol with stirring at a room temperature of 25° C., to the refluxed KOH solution maintained at 60° C. to obtain an alkaline zinc acetate solution; and
ii. in-situ adding a conjugated organic moiety to the alkaline zinc acetate solution of step i to obtain the photocatalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Council Scient Ind Res

Inventors

• Devi Radhamonyamma Nandini
• George Leena

Classifications

• B01J35/45

  Nanoparticles · CPC title

• B01J37/031 Primary

  Precipitation · CPC title

• C01G9/02

  Oxides; Hydroxides · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title

• B01J23/66

  Silver or gold · CPC title