A new photocatalytic material developed by supporting TiO2 in combination with transition
metal ion like cobalt and heteropolyacid (HPA) on the surface is facilitating enhanced
photoreduction of water and methyl orange. Zeolites being a solid acid play an important
role in the electron transfer reaction, facilitated by the Lewis acid sites in the form of
aluminium ions. In the present work, four different zeolite matrices namely, NaY zeolite,
ultrastable zeolite Y, beta zeolite and titanium silicate-1 have been used for the synthesis
of new photocatalytic materials. These materials have been evaluated for water splitting by
an initial screening procedure using methyl orange photoreduction. The photocatalyst
containing Na Y has emerged as a potential photocatalyst with hydrogen evolution rate of
2730 mmol/h/g of TiO2. Hydrogen evolution was not observed for the composite photocatalysts
synthesized using the other zeolite matrices. It has been observed that physicochemical
properties like Si/Al ratio, acidity and basicity of the zeolite support have
a tremendous influence on the photoreduction property of these zeolite matrices