The three-dimensional ordered macroporous structure of the Pt/TiO(2)–ZrO(2) composite enhanced its photocatalytic performance for the photodegradation and photolysis of water

Using polystyrene (PS) spheres as a template, three-dimensional ordered macroporous Pt/TiO(2)–ZrO(2) (3DOM Pt/TiO(2)–ZrO(2)) composites were prepared by vacuum impregnation combined with photoreduction. The crystal structure, composition, morphology, optical absorption, and surface physicochemical properties of the as-synthetized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis/DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N(2) adsorption–desorption analyses. The results showed that the 3DOM Pt/TiO(2)–ZrO(2) composites were mainly composed of anatase TiO(2) and tetragonal ZrO(2) crystal phases, in which Pt mainly existed as a single species. In addition, the as-synthesized composites had open, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous structures that could enhance their multi-mode photocatalytic degradation performance under UV, visible light, simulated solar light, and microwave-assisted irradiation. Moreover, the 3DOM Pt/TiO(2)–ZrO(2) composites exhibited the best photocatalytic water splitting performance as compared to other systems.