Halogen-doped SnO2 for hydrogen production: A theoretical and experimental investigation

Abstract

Halogen-doped tin dioxide (SnO2) is examined for its photocatalytic activity and further applications apart from the photovoltaic devices. While SnO2 has been extensively examined in energy devices, not so much attention has been paid to its investigation as a photocatalyst. Preliminary studies on photocatalytic properties suggest that Br:SnO2 shows a small improvement in hydrogen production in the first 14 h, whereas, in general, the presence of any halogen reduces the reactivity of SnO2. By incorporating this result with the observed increase in conductance, it can be suggested that the doping of Cl and Br serves as an effective method for enhancing the electron-transport properties of SnO2 layers.