Ag–Pt bimetallic composite supported on defective C3Nx nanosheets for plasmon hot electron-mediated photocatalytic H2 evolution

Combining the strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metallic Ag and the chemically reactive Pt co-catalyst, the Ag–Pt bimetallic composite was prepared and then coated on the surface of the exfoliated defective graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (C₃N_x NS) for plasmon hot electron-mediated photocatalytic H₂ evolution. Under the visible light irradiation, the sample of (1:2) Ag–Pt/C₃N_x NS exhibits the highest activity (1.25 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹), which is 35.7 and 1.7 times higher than that of Ag/C₃N_x NS and Pt/C₃N_x NS, respectively. Moreover, the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of (1:2) Ag–Pt/C₃N_x NS reaches 3.3% at 420 nm. The boosted photocatalytic capacity may be ascribed to the utilization of the advantages of the LSPR effect of Ag particles and the Schottky barrier between Pt and C₃N_x NS, resulting in more electrons participate in the reduction reaction to boost the photocatalytic H₂ evolution performance.     

Improving the photocatalytic performance of a sea-cucumber-like nanoporous TiO2 loaded with PtAg for water splitting

Nanoporous TiO₂ loaded with Pt and Ag was prepared by the dealloyed AlTiAgPt ribbons. The hydrogen generation rate via water splitting was measured for the photocatalytic performance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyze the synergy among TiO₂, Pt and Ag. The results indicate that the synthetic TiO₂ shows an anatase structure and that the size of the Pt-rich phase, Ag and Ag-rich phase particles are approximately 6–8 nm. An abundance of pores with about 5 nm in size are distributed on the surface of TiO₂, and obtained samples exhibit a larger specific surface area. The hydrogen evolution rate was approximately 1.85 mmol/h/g under full-spectrum irradiation for the dealloyed Al₉₂Ti_7.86Pt_0.04Ag_0.1 ribbons, which was greatly improved compared with that of the dealloyed Al₉₂Ti_7.9Ag_0.1 ribbons. The analyses indicate that Ag could promote the visible light absorption and that Pt serves as an electron sink for the effective electron-hole pairs separation. Moreover, the appropriate Schottky barrier, formed among the Pt-rich phase, Ag-rich phase and TiO_2, effectively suppresses the recombination of electron-hole pairs and improves the utilization of photo-generated electrons.     

Rational design and fabrication of TiO2 nano heterostructure with multi-junctions for efficient photocatalysis

In addition to the extended light absorption, the effective spatial charge separation is a crucial factor for highly efficient metal-oxide semiconductor-based photocatalysts. Herein, a rational design of metal-semiconductor-metal nano heterostructure for enhancing photocatalytic performance is proposed. The semiconductor nanoparticles are integrated with two metals in one single nano heterostructure. The disordered layers are induced on the surface of TiO₂ to promote the light absorption capacity. More importantly, the n-n⁺ junction is fabricated at the contact region between crystalline TiO₂ (n-TiO₂) and disordered layers (n⁺-TiO₂). Besides, the Schottky diode and Ohmic contact are formed on n-TiO₂ and n⁺-TiO₂, respectively. As a result, the existence of multi-junctions leads to the formation of multiple continuous built-in electric fields, thus remarkably accelerating the spatial separation of charge carriers. The resulting nano heterostructure with multi-junctions (Pt–TiO₂–H–Ag) exhibits remarkably promoted photocatalytic performance. The maximum hydrogen generation rate of Pt–TiO₂–H–Ag under solar illumination (18001.0 μmol/h/g) is 8.3, 9.3, and 1.5 times superior to that of Pt-loaded P25 (Pt–P25), Pt loaded TiO₂ (Pt–TiO₂), and hydrogenated Pt–TiO₂ (Pt–TiO₂–H), respectively. Moreover, the photocatalytic performance under visible illumination is significantly enhanced by Pt–TiO₂–H–Ag. Specifically, the H₂ generation rate of Pt–TiO₂–H–Ag (2382.7 μmol/h/g) is about 15.1, 17.2, and 1.4 times higher than that of Pt–P25, Pt–TiO₂, and Pt–TiO₂–H, respectively. The corresponding apparent quantum efficiency of Pt–TiO₂–H–Ag is 15.8% (420 nm). The nano heterostructure with multi-junctions also exhibits excellent stability after five cycles, remaining hydrogen evolution rates of 15581.5 and 2211.4 μmol/h/g under solar and visible illumination, respectively. This effective and controllable manufacturing strategy could provide new opportunities to simultaneously extend optical absorption and facilitate the spatial charge separation and transport of wide-bandgap metal-oxide semiconductors.     

Effective degradation of aqueous bisphenol-A using novel Ag2C2O4/Ag@GNS photocatalyst under visible light

Photocatalytic oxidation of toxic pollutants is a proficient technique to solve the problems associated with the treatment of bisphenol-A which is classified as 1B reprotoxic substance. In this paper, Ag₂C₂O₄/Ag@GNS nanocomposite whereas Ag and graphene nanosheets (GNS) used as the charge carriers, which is combined through peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the removal of bisphenol-A (BiP-A) for the first time. The XRD, UV-DRS, SEM, and TEM studies were performed to confirm the phase structure and the purity. Ag₂C₂O₄/Ag@GNS nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic performance and removal rate when compared with pure Ag₂C₂O₄ and pure GNS. In Ag₂C₂O₄/Ag@GNS photocatalyst, the deposited Ag on the surface of Ag₂C₂O₄ rods effectively formed a metal and semiconductor heterostructure, thus photogenerated charge carriers were separated easily by the surface plasmon resonance effect (SPR) effect of noble Ag. Hence charge carriers lifetime has been extended to a great extent for the better photocatalytic performance. The experimental results confirmed that the ? O₂^?, ? OH, ? SO₄^? radicals were played major role in the photolysis process. Furthermore, the effect of the photocatalyst & PMS concentration, pH and co-existing ions towards the BiP-A degradation were studied in detail. According to the mass spectroscopy studies BiP-A pollutant was effectively deteriorated into smaller molecules and CO₂, H₂O. Furthermore, we have proposed the possible degradation pathway and photocatalytic mechanism for better understanding.     

Microwave heating preparation of phosphorus doped g-C3N4 and its enhanced performance for photocatalytic H2 evolution in the help of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles

This paper synthesized a novel Ag₃PO₄/P-g-C₃N₄ via a two-step chemical route i.e. microwave-assisted heating and ion-exchange procedures. The as-synthesized hybrid presented high efficiency for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Systematic investigation indicated that phosphorus was successfully doped into the g-C₃N₄ framework through microwave heating the mixture of melamine and NH₄H₂PO₄ for 40 min, which increases the BET surface area, broadens the visible light response region, and elevates the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs. The Ag₃PO₄ nanoparticles were decorated on the optimal P-g-C₃N₄ sample via an ion-exchange process. Due to the instability of Ag₃PO₄, the formed composite is actually Ag/Ag₃PO₄/P-g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. The introduced Ag₃PO₄ nanoparticles further improves the charge separation efficiency of P-g-C₃N₄, but slightly affects the surface area and optical property, which highlights the key role of the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs in photocatalytic reaction. The best Ag₃PO₄/P-g-C₃N₄ hybrid shows a photocatalytic H₂ production rate of 1221 and 90.2 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ under simulated sunlight and visible light, respectively. This value is 2.1 and 1.4 times greater than that of g-C₃N₄ and P-g-C₃N₄, respectively. Meanwhile, the Ag₃PO₄/P-g-C₃N₄ displayed high photocatalytic stability. A probable photocatalytic mechanism of the hybrid was also suggested.     

Ag monolayer doped by Pt atom on WC (0001) surface: A good catalyst for H2 dissociation with high sulfur tolerance

H₂ dissociation barriers on Ag (111), Ag monolayer on WC (0001) (Ag_ML/WC), Ag monolayer doped by Pt atom on WC (0001) (Ag_MLPt-d/WC) surface are decreasing from 1.07 to 0.03 eV. The ab initio atomistic thermodynamic data shows that at typical planar SOFC operating temperatures of 923–1073 K, under 100000-ppm pH₂S/pH₂, Ag_MLPt-d/WC can be sulfur free clean surface. Therefore, compared with traditional Nickel/Yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ) Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) anode, Ag_MLPt-d/WC shows high activity towards H₂ dissociation and high tolerance of sulfur poisoning.     

Engineering bimetallic PtX (X=Sn,Cu) immobilized on graphene as efficient catalysts: Boosted charge migration and hydrogen evolution

In this work, bimetallic PtX (X = Sn, Cu) decorated graphene nanohybrids (PtX/G) were developed, which showed enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance than that of Pt/G in Eosin Y sensitized H₂ production system. The presence of Sn or Cu in PtX/G nanohybrids can remarkably improve the photogenerated charge separation efficiency and contribute to promoting the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen in comparison to with noble metal Pt. Meanwhile, graphene acted as a more suitable electronic support to accelerate the migration of electrons from sensitizer to catalysts, owing to its higher electron mobility and larger surface area than other supports (such as carbon sphere, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂). The optimal H₂ evolution rate PtSn/G and PtCu/G was about 2.2 and 2.0 times higher than that of Pt/G. The apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of PtSn/G and PtCu/G reached up to 12.46% and 11.06% under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm), respectively.     

Synthesis of magnetic Ag3PO4/Ag/NiFe2O4 composites towards super photocatalysis and magnetic separation

The synthesis of Ag₃PO₄/Ag was performed through in-situ deposition and photo-reduction processes with magnetic NiFe₂O₄ nanofibers towards enhanced photocatalysis performance and stability. NiFe₂O₄ inhibit the photoreduction of Ag₃PO₄ into Ag and resulted in high stability. The photocatalytic activity of Ag₃PO₄/Ag/NiFe₂O₄ samples was studied by methylene blue degrading under visible light irradiation. The Ag₃PO₄/Ag/NiFe₂O₄ photocatalyst with NiFe₂O₄ loading of 3% revealed good photocatalytic performance, high stability and quick degradation after 5 cycles. Photoluminescence spectra and photocurrent tests demonstrated that the formation of hetero-junction facilitated the separation of photo-generated carriers. The trapping experiments confirmed that h⁺ and ?OH were active species during the degradation process.     

Hydrogen production over metal-loaded mesoporous-assembled SrTiO3 nanocrystal photocatalysts: Effects of metal type and loading

Mesoporous-assembled SrTiO₃ photocatalysts with different loaded metal co-catalysts (Au,Pt, Ag, Ni, Ce, and Fe) synthesized by the single-step sol–gel method with the aid of a structure-directing surfactant were tested for the photocatalytic activity of hydrogen production from a methanol aqueous solution under both UV and visible light irradiation. The Au, Pt, Ag, and Ni loadings had a positive effect on the photocatalytic activity enhancement, whereas the Ce and Fe loadings did not. The best loaded metal was found to be Au due to its electrochemical properties compatible with the SrTiO₃-based photocatalyst and its visible light harvesting enhancement. A 1 wt.% Au-loaded SrTiO₃ photocatalyst exhibited the highest photocatalytic hydrogen production activity with a hydrogen production rate of 337 and 200 μmol h⁻¹ g_cat⁻¹ under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively. The hydrogen diffusivity from the liquid phase to the gas phase also significantly affected the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency. An increase in the hydrogen diffusability led to an increase in the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency.     

Ag–AgBr/g-C3N4/ZIF-8 prepared with ionic liquid as template for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light

In this study, a ternary photocatalyst named Ag–AgBr/g-C₃N₄/ZIF-8 (A/g/Z) was prepared by ionic liquid assisted in-situ growth method. The structure and composition of samples are studied by means of XRD, SEM, XPS, TEM, EIS, etc. The AgBr prepared by ionic liquid assisted method has good dispersion, and the protonated carbon nitride has better specific surface area and morphology structure. The structure of the composites is optimized by modifying g-C₃N₄ with MOFs and noble metals, and the existence of Ag⁺ can play a bridging role, so as to form multi-path electronic transmission route. The high efficiency of electron transfer greatly improved the efficiency of hydrogen evolution. It is worth noting that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect produced by silver ions on the surface of g-C₃N₄ can improve the absorption of visible light. The A (1.1)/g/Z (6.5) exhibit high hydrogen evolution efficiency (2058 μmol g^?1 h^?1, which is 49 times than g-C₃N₄) at the absence of Pt co-catalyst. Furthermore, the transient photocurrent density of the composites is much higher than that of g-C₃N₄ and AgBr, the semicircle radius of EIS is also less than both. Through the five cycle experiment, the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite material remained above 91%.     

Dye-sensitized black phosphorus nanosheets decorated with Pt cocatalyst for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light

Although black phosphorous (BP) and its derived materials have shown great potential for application in photocatalytic H₂ evolution reaction (HER), their HER activity and stability still remains unsatisfied mainly due to the insufficient charge separation, the lack of surface active sites, and the defect-riched nature of BP. Herein, we report that BP nanosheets decorated with in situ grown Pt (BP NSs/Pt) could act as a highly efficient catalyst for photocatalytic H₂ evolution in an Erythrosin B (ErB)-sensitized system under visible light irradiation (≥450 nm) in the presence of triethanolamine (TEOA) as sacrificial electron donor. It is found that BP NSs can provide large surface area for the confined growth of Pt nanoparticles with a high dispersion and a reduced size but also stabilize the loaded Pt nanoparticles by covalent bonds at the BP NSs/Pt interfaces. Moreover, BP NSs offer a fast electron transfer pathway to facilitate the photocatalytic HER over in situ grown Pt catalyst. As a result, BP NSs/Pt catalyst exhibits ∼6 times higher H₂ evolution activity than free Pt nanoparticles and an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 0.57% at 500 nm irradiation in ErB-TEOA system. This work indicates the potential of BP NSs as an effective 2D matrix to construct numerous high performance photocatalysts and photocatalytic systems.     

Vanadium (V) and Niobium (Nb) as the most promising co-catalysts for hydrogen sulfide splitting screened out from 3d and 4d transition metal single atoms

The options of transition metals as co-catalysts for photocatalytic H₂S splitting are restricted to some noble metals and related compounds which have noticeable achievements despite their high prices. Substituting with cheap transition metals and downsizing the size to single atom level are economic ways to lower the cost. Herein, the s-triazine graphite-like carbon nitride sheet g-C₃N₄ (001) is chosen as the model to study the performances of 3d and 4d transition metal single atoms (TMSA = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd) in H₂S splitting based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is found that low-cost transition metals with industrial relevance (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Cd) are completely comparable with noble metals (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag). Among them, V and Nb are the most promising co-catalysts with good thermodynamic stabilities, favorable responses to visible light, high photoinduced electron-hole separation efficiencies, sufficient potentials for H₂S splitting, and low energy barriers for H₂S dissociation into H₂ and S. The noticeable improved activities of V/g-C₃N₄ and Nb/g-C₃N₄ are attributed to the formation of strong interfacial chemical bonds which could promote electrons transferring to H₂S derivates. In addition, the introduction of photoinduced electrons could further improve the activities of V/g-C₃N₄ and Nb/g-C₃N₄ with more electrons transferring to H₂S derivates. It is expected that this work could provide a helpful guidance to choose appropriate TMSA co-catalysts as references for H₂S splitting.     

A sea cucumber-like nanoporous TiO2 modified by bimetal PtAu through the dealloying for water splitting

Bimetal PtAu modifying nanoporous TiO₂ composites are prepared by dealloying. X-ray diffraction is used to determine the phase constitution. The specific surface area and mesoporous pores are measured by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy are employed to analyse the mutual synergy between Pt and Au. The hydrogen generation rate is measured to determine the photocatalytic performance. The results reveal that TiO₂ is the anatase structure and possess a sea cucumber-like morphology with a large specific surface area. The hydrogen generation rate is 1.745 mmol h^?1 g^?1 for the dealloyed Al₉₂Ti_7.86Pt_0.04Au_0.1 ribbons under the full spectrum irradiation. This value is 29.6 times, 4.4 times and 1.8 times those of the dealloyed Al₉₂Ti₈, Al₉₂Ti_7.9Au_0.1, and Al₉₂Ti_7.96Pt_0.04 ribbons, respectively. The above results indicate that the addition of a small amount of Au and Pt significantly enhances the photocatalytic activity for H₂ production. The Au promotes the absorption of visible light, and Pt serve as an electron sink for effective electron-hole pairs separation during the photocatalytic process. It is a feasible and an effective strategy to take full advantages of respective virtues of noble metals and their strong interactions to enhance photocatalytic activity.     

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solution using ZnO with simultaneous photodeposition of Cu

The enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous methanol solution using ZnO was investigated with aid of simultaneous metal deposition. The simultaneous deposition for such metals as Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt, and Rh was evaluated for the H₂ production from aqueous methanol solution. As a result, the addition of Cu ion was effective improvement in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The photocatalytic hydrogen production using ZnO photocatalyst with aid of simultaneous deposition of Cu was approximately 130 times better than those obtained with bare ZnO. The Cu-deposited ZnO had the response to the visible light for the hydrogen formation. After the photocatalytic hydrogen production, the in-situ Cu-photodeposited ZnO sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectrometry (UV-DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy.     

Biomass-derived hierarchical porous CdS/M/TiO2 (M = Au,Ag, pt,pd) ternary heterojunctions for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

We demonstrate a general method for the synthesis of biomass-derived hierarchical porous CdS/M/TiO₂ (M = Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) ternary heterojunctions for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. A typical biomass—wood are used as the raw sources while five species of wood (Fir, Ash, White Pine, Lauan and Shiraki) are chosen as templates for the synthesis of hierarchical porous TiO₂. The as-obtained products inherited the hierarchical porous features with pores ranging from micrometers to nanometers, with improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity than non-templated counterparts. Noble metals M (M = Pt, Au, Ag, Pd) and CdS are loaded via a two-step photodeposition method to form core (metal)/shell (CdS) structures. The photocatalytic modules—CdS(shell)/metal (core)/TiO₂ heterostructures, have demonstrated to increase visible light harvesting significantly and to increase the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. The H₂ evolution rates of CdS/Pd/TiO₂ ternary heterostructures are about 6.7 times of CdS/TiO₂ binary heterojunctions and 4 times higher than Pd/CdS/TiO₂ due to the vertical electron transfer process. The design of such system is beneficial for enhanced activity from morphology control and composition adjustment, which would provide some new pathways for the design of promising photocatalytic systems for enhanced performance.     

Metalloid Ni2P and its behavior for boosting the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of CaIn2S4

The development of high-efficiency and low-cost photocatalysts in photocatalytic H₂ evolution systems from water remains challenging. The substitution of a noble metal as the co-catalyst is still one of the important and meaningful issues in this field. Herein, we report a series of CaIn₂S₄ catalysts combined with Ni₂P, which acts as the co-catalyst, for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light. The integrated system of the Ni₂P/CaIn₂S₄ composite exhibited high efficiency and durability, which were even higher than those of Pt decorated catalysts. The promoting effect of Ni₂P can be ascribed to its excellent reductive ability and analogous metallic character, which can accelerate the transfer and consumption of the photo-generated electrons. Moreover, based on the surface photo-voltage technique and electrochemical tests, the unique mechanism of Ni₂P for the movement of photo-generated charges during the photocatalysis process is proposed for the first time.     

Catalytic activities of Ag/C decorated with small amounts of Au and Pt for glycerol oxidation

The two-step decoration of the Ag nanoparticles supported on carbon black (Ag/C) with Au and Pt, the electrooxidation of glycerol on the Pt/Au/Ag/C catalysts in alkaline solution, and the effect of the amounts of Au and Pt on the catalytic activity of Pt/Au/Ag/C are investigated. The decoration of Ag/C is performed by electrochemically depositing a small amount of Au and then Pt on Ag/C, and the Pt_x/Au_y/Ag₁₀₀/C catalysts with different x:y:100 ratios (0.15 ≤ x ≤ 1.9 and 0.2 ≤ y ≤ 1.5) are obtained. Physical and electrochemical characterizations reveal that small parts of the Ag surfaces are covered by the deposited Au and Pt. Pt_x/Au_y/Ag₁₀₀/C mainly shows Pt-relevant behaviors in glycerol oxidation, and Pt_1.3/Au_y/Ag₁₀₀/C exhibits high catalytic activities. The results reveal that the surface decoration is a useful method of fabricating efficient ternary catalysts at low cost.     

One-pot solvothermal synthesis of 1D plasmonic TiO2@Ag nanorods with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance

A plasmonic photocatalyst is designed and synthesized by coating TiO₂ nanoparticles onto the surface of Ag nanorods (Ag NRs), namely one-dimensional TiO₂@Ag NRs photocatalyst. Materials characterizations suggest that the as-prepared catalysts consist of a uniform and high crystalline anatase nanocrystals and highly conductive Ag nanorod. It delivers remarkable visible-light photocatalytic performance in simultaneous H₂ evolution and decomposition of methyl orange (MO) due to the synergetic effects of plasmonic resonance under visible light irradiation, a matched heterojunction, high surface area and large conductivity.     

Enhanced solar hydrogen generation using Cu–Cu2O integrated polypyrrole nanofibers as heterostructured catalysts

Nanostructured conducting polymeric materials are beneficial for electron conduction and mass transport, showing high photocatalytic performance under visible light. Herein, we report a colloidal synthesis of copper and copper oxides (Cu₂O) modified polypyrrole nanofibers (PPy) heterostructures, which demonstrates significantly high photocatalytic H₂ generation under visible light. The presence of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) of 50 nm and cubic shaped Cu₂O nanoparticles of size 200 nm endows the heterostructures with a large specific surface area as well as good dispersion of nanoparticles on PPy nanofibers allows the migration of electron during catalysis. Cu₂O/PPy exhibits excellent H₂ production (67 mmol h⁻¹) which is 12 times higher than pure PPy (5.7 mmol h⁻¹). The high catalytic activity of Cu₂O/PPy heterostructure provides a fervent alternative to noble metal-based catalysts for the hydrogen generation and water splitting.     

Photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen and research on synergistic of Bi/Sm with solid solution of Bi–Sm–V photocatalyst

Photocatalyst Bi_1−xSm_xVO₄ were prepared by solid phase reaction and characterized by XRD, UV–visible DRS, BET, and SEM. Bi_1−xSm_xVO₄ showed two structures with the component content. When the composition was above x = 0.3, Bi_1−xSm_xVO₄ were of single phase with tetragonal type and can be regarded as solid solutions of was BiVO₄ and SmVO₄. When Bi_1−xSm_xVO₄ was loaded with 0.3 wt% Pt, the samples showed photocatalytic activities for water decomposition to hydrogen under UV light. Among these catalysts, Bi_0.5Sm_0.5VO₄ showed the best photocatalytic activity for water splitting, which indicated synergistic of Bi/Sm enhanced the photocatalysis efficiency. What's more, Bi_0.5Sm_0.5VO₄ loaded with other co-catalysts was found to act as a photocatalyst for water decomposition to hydrogen and oxygen under UV light irradiation, and the photocatalyst loaded with Pt/Cr₂O₃ had the best photocatalytic property. The amounts of the produced hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, were about 188.25 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ and 95.90 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹. This study indicated that the formation of solid solution was the feasible method to adjust energy band and synergistic of Bi/Sm can enhance the photocatalytic activities of water decomposition.