Enhanced Visible Light Controlled Glucose Photo-Reforming Using a Composite WO/Ag/TiO Photoanode: Effect of Incorporated Plasmonic Ag Nanoparticles.

WO/Ag/TiO composite photoelectrodes were formed via the high-temperature calcination of a WO film, followed by the sputtering of a very thin silver film and deposition of an overlayer of commercial TiO nanoparticles. These synthetic photoanodes were characterized in view of the oxidation of a model organic compound glucose combined with the generation of hydrogen at a platinum cathode. During prolonged photoelectrolysis under simulated solar light, these photoanodes demonstrated high and stable photocurrents of ca. 4 mA cm due, on one hand, to the occurrence of the so-called photocurrent doubling and, on the other hand, to the plasmonic effect of Ag nanoparticles. The post-photoelectrolysis analyses of the electrolyte demonstrated the formation of high-value final glucose photo-reforming products, principally gluconic acid, erythrose and formic acid.