Polyaniline@BaZrO3 Nanocomposites for Hydrogen Production Under Visible Light

Abstract

Polyaniline@BaZrO3 nanocomposites with particular mass proportions of polyaniline/BaZrO3 were fabricated in this study. The catalytic action of the specimens was resolved amid photocatalytic production of hydrogen beneath Vis light irradiation. It was noticed that specific surface areas for the BaZrO3 nanospherical were 140 m2/g, which is the highest value reached in our new preparation method. Addition of polyaniline to BaZrO3 nanospherical spheres slightly decreased the surface areas to 130 m2/g. TEM micrographs revealed that the BaZrO3 and polyaniline@BaZrO3 specimens appeared as homogenous nanospherical composites. With introduction of PANI, the polyaniline@BaZrO3 nanocomposite structures were not obviously changed. The very low content of PANI within the nanocomposites accounted for its disappearance within the images of the composites. The evolved hydrogen under visible-light irradiation using 0.12% polyaniline/BaZrO3 photocatalyst was 13000 μmol g–1h–1 within 9 h using 2.0 g/L photocatalyst dose.