Hybrid tantalum oxide nanoparticles from the hydrolysis of imidazolium tantalate ionic liquids: efficient catalysts for hydrogen generation from ethanol/water solutions

Souza, Virginia S.; Scholten, Jackson D.; Weibel, Daniel E.; Eberhardt, Dario; Baptista, Daniel L.; Teixeira, Sergio R.; Dupont, Jairton

Abstract

The reaction of equimolar amounts of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMI·Cl) or 1-n-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (DMI·Cl) with TaCl5 affords imidazolium tantalate ionic liquids (ILs) BMI·TaCl61 and DMI·TaCl62. The hydrolysis of ILs 1 and 2 yields hybrid-like tantalum oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with size distribution dependent on the nature of the IL used (3.8–22 nm from IL 1 and 1.5–6 nm from 2). A significant aggregation/agglomeration of the particles was observed after the removal of the IL content of the hybrid material by calcination, forming predominantly large particles (mainly bulk tantalum oxides). These new hybrid-like Ta2O5/IL NPs are highly active photocatalyst nanomaterials for hydrogen production by reforming of ethanol at ambient temperature. Hydrogen evolution rates up to 7.2 mmol H2 g−1 h−1 and high apparent quantum yields up to 17% were measured. The hybrid-like Ta2O5/IL NPs sputtered-decorated with ultra-small Pt NPs (1.0 ± 0.3 nm) as co-catalysts reached activities leading to even higher hydrogen production (9.2 H2 mmol g−1 h−1; apparent quantum yield of 22%). The calcined materials (with or without Pt NPs) showed much lower photocatalytic activity under the same reaction conditions (up to 2.8 mmol g−1 of H2). The remarkable activity of the hybrid-like Ta2O5/IL NPs may be related to the presence of the remaining IL that provides hydrophilic regions, facilitating the approach of polar molecules (water and alcohol) to the semiconductor active photocatalytic sites.

Citation

Souza, V. S., Scholten, J. D., Weibel, D. E., Eberhardt, D., Baptista, D. L., Teixeira, S. R., & Dupont, J. (2016). Hybrid tantalum oxide nanoparticles from the hydrolysis of imidazolium tantalate ionic liquids: efficient catalysts for hydrogen generation from ethanol/water solutions. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 4, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA02114J

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2016
• Publication Date: Apr 6, 2016
• Deposit Date: Aug 15, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 15, 2016
• Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry A
• Print ISSN: 2050-7488
• Electronic ISSN: 2050-7496
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA02114J
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/786312
• Publisher URL: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2016/TA/C6TA02114J#!divAbstract