Potassium niobate nanoscrolls incorporating rhodium hydroxide nanoparticles for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Well-dispersed rhodium trihydroxide nanoparticles (below 1 nm) were deposited into the interlayer galleries of scrolled K4Nb6O17nanosheets. The unmodified nanoscrolls are good catalysts for UV light-driven hydrogen evolution from aqueous methanol solutions, and their activity can be significantly improved by anchoring a small amount (0.1 wt% Rh) of Rh(OH)3 or Rh2O3 to the surface. The high hydrogen generation rate achieved in this system, 1480 µmol/h per 1g of catalyst, shows promise towards overall water splitting using these catalytic composites.