Enhancing the photo-driven seawater splitting performance of hierarchical TiO2 through rich surface hydroxyl and oxygen vacancy design

Hierarchical TiO2 nanofibers with enriched surface hydroxyl groups and oxygen vacancies have been synthesized. An assessment of their photocatalytic properties shows that the new catalyst has high stability and exhibits excellent photocatalytic H2 production performance in seawater. The enhanced activity of the catalyst is a consequence of the elevation in the rates of charge transfer and H+ adsorption by the synergistic effects of surface hydroxyls and oxygen vacancies.