In this study, we devise a facile polymer-assisted sol-gel
chemical method to prepare highly porous, crystalline implanted SrTiO₃
(STO) nanoparticles and demonstrate their performance for
photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water. X-ray scattering,
electron microscopy, and nitrogen physisorption data corroborate that
the as-made catalysts comprise 100-nm-sized nanocuboid particles
containing a highly internal porous structure (BET surface area ∼176
m² g⁻¹) with uniform mesopores (ca. 5.8 nm in
diameter). Interestingly, a partial substitution of N and C for O is
attained in STO lattice with this synthetic protocol, according to the
elemental analysis, and infrared (IR) and X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS) studies. Compared to STO:C,N, the STO:C,N
mesoporous decorated with Pt nanoparticles (ca. 3 nm) present unique
attributes that allow for an impressive improvement of up to 74-fold
in photocatalytic H₂-production activity. By combining
UV–vis/NIR optical absorption, photoluminescence, Raman and
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, we show that this improved
performance arises from the unique nanostructure, which provides
massive surface active sites, and the proper alignment of defect
states and conduction band-edge position of the STO:C,N semiconductor
with respect to the interband transitions of metal, which permit
efficient plasmon-induced interfacial electron transfer between the
Pt–STO:C,N junction.

More information can be found in:
I. Tamiolakis, D. Liu, F.-X. Xiao, J. Xie, I.T. Papadas, T. Salim, B. Liu, Q. Zhang, S.A. Choulis & G.S. Armatas.
“Mesoporous Implantable Pt/SrTiO₃:C,N Nanocuboids Delivering Enhanced Photocatalytic H₂-Production Activity via Plasmon-Induced Interfacial Electron Transfer.”
Appl. Catal. B: Environ.,
236, 338–347 (2018).