Fast synthesis of lamellar TiO2 for promoting photocatalytic H2 evolution with low co-catalyst loading

Two-dimensional materials have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their remarkable electron-hole transfer capability. However, the advancement of convenient and rapid synthesis techniques remains crucial for further research in this field. In this study, lamellar anatase/rutile-TiO 2 phase heterojunctions with a favorable phase interface was synthesized through a fast annealing route using glucose as the template and titanium tetrachloride. The sample synthesized at 600 °C with a holding time of 20 min exhibited the most significant levels of H 2 evolution activity (53.22 mmol g −1  h −1 ) with a low loading of 0.05 wt% Pt co-catalyst, which is significantly higher than the commercial P25 sample. The characterization reveals that the anatase/rutile-TiO 2 phase heterojunction in the two-dimensional sheet exhibits excellent phase interface contact and possesses a large specific surface area with an appropriate pore size. These characteristics are advantageous for facilitating the separation and migration of carriers, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the H 2 production reaction through hydrolysis. This study presents a novel approach towards the advancement of highly effective two-dimensional photocatalysts.