TiO2 nanobelts with anatase/rutile heterophase junctions for highly efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting.

Herein, we report surface coarsened titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanobelts with anatase/rutile heterophase junctions via a facile hydrothermal/calcination method for simultaneous hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) productions from pure water, with excellent production rates of 0.614 and 0.297 mmol h-1 g-1 with platinum (Pt)/cobalt phosphide (CoP) as cocatalysts, respectively. Besides, the TiO2 nanobelts-900 °C with anatase/rutile heterophase junctions show a notable improvement in photocatalytic H2 and O2 production than pure anatase TiO2 nanobelts (TiO2 nanobelts-600 °C, 700 °C and 800 °C) and pure rutile TiO2 nanobelts (TiO2 nanobelts-1000 °C). The anatase/rutile heterophase junctions could effectively stimulate the transfer of electrons from rutile to anatase and then to Pt, and H2 generation on the surface of Pt. In the meantime, the holes can be transferred from anatase to rutile and then to CoP, and water oxidation on CoP's surface.