Selective introduction of surface defects in anatase TiO2 nanosheets for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Defect engineering greatly enhances the catalytic activity of transition metal semiconductor photocatalysts. Recently, localized surface defects engineering has been intensively researched, but it still remains challenges on how to tilt the balance to the controllable construction of surface defects rather than bulk ones. Here, we report a facile room-temperature solution processing strategy on (001) facet exposed anatase TiO2 nanosheets (ATO), in which localized defects are generated on the surface selectivity with high concentration. To achieve the aspect, lithium-ethylenediamine (Li-EDA) treatment is carried out on (001) facet exposed ATO under a mild condition. The optimized sample exhibits outstanding photocatalytic H2 production rates of 9.28 mmol·g−1·h−1 with loading 0.5 wt% Pt as co-catalyst (AM 1.5), which is nearly 7.5 times higher than that of the pristine ATO. This defect engineering strategy of ATO photocatalyst will spark the ideas for the defects engineering and semiconductor photocatalyst, which is with important application prospect in solar energy conversion, including hydrogen generation and carbon dioxide reduction.