Skin B/N-doped anatase TiO {001} nanoflakes for visible-light photocatalytic water oxidation.

The limited visible-light-responsive photoactivities of most doped wide-bandgap photocatalysts with widened absorption range have long been the obstacles for the efficient conversion of solar energy to chemical energy by photocatalysis. The weak transport ability of visible-light-induced low-energy charge carriers, and numerous recombination centers arising from the energy-band modifiers along the transport path are two major factors responsible for such a mismatch. A potential solution is to shorten the transport path of photo-induced charges in well-modulated light absorbers with low-dimensional structure and the spatially concentrated dopants underneath their surfaces.

Red anatase TiO microspheres with exposed major {001} facets and boron-stabilized hydrogen-occupied oxygen vacancies for visible-light-responsive water oxidation.

In pursuit of efficient solar energy to chemical energy conversion through band engineering of wide-bandgap photocatalysts such as TiO, a compromise occurs between a narrow bandgap and high-redox-capacity photo-induced charge carriers, which impairs the potential advantages associated with the widened absorption range. The key to this compromise is an integrative modifier that can simultaneously modulate both the bandgap and band edge positions. Herein, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that oxygen vacancies occupied by boron-stabilized hydrogen pairs (OV) serve as an integrative band modifier.