Natural Fresh Proteins Directed Hierarchically Porous Nitrogen-doped TiO₂ as with High Performance as Photocatalyts and Electrode Materials

Abstract

Fresh EPF proteins from Liangzi Lake were employed as a template to synthesize hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped TiO₂ in a single process. The experimental results show that N-TiO₂ sample exhibits significantly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity in both chemical waste treatment and hydrogen production, and the visible-light photocatalytic activities vary with the concentrations of EPF proteins. The optimal concentration of protein is 600 mg·mL⁻¹ and the degradation of RhB could be almost completed in just 25 min. Furthermore, the performance of as-synthesized TiO₂ as an electrode for Li-ion battery can be also regulated by the EPF proteins. Natural extrapallial fluid (EPF) proteins extracted from the same kind of mussels living in different regions have significantly different effects on the performances of TiO₂ as electrode materials for Li-ion battery. The present work highlights the unimaginable effects of natural organic matrix on the synthesis of advanced materials with optimized functional properties.

Keywords

N-TiO₂ / photocatalytic activity / hydrogen production / hierarchically porous structure / extrapallial fluid (EPF) proteins