FragranceLover89 - 29-10-2020 at 19:48
I wanted to photo dissociate some water so I bought some AgNO3 and H3PO4 (85%) and made Ag3PO4 through the salt replacement reaction with sodium
bicarbonate.
The product was a yellow green powder, which initially did not produce gas bubbles upon illumination with a bright lamp. It was only the next day that
I noticed a steady stream of oxygen bubbles coming from the powder when the jar was illuminated from the bottom.
My next plan is to add a redox agent like methylene blue to oxidize the carrier from Ag3PO4 preventing it's reduction and dissociation. Ag3PO4
produces only a water splitting half reaction so the pH likely drops as more protons are put into solution. I noticed Ag3PO4 (under liquid) degraded
after a few days in darkness making me question the stability of the molecule. Another alternative to increase stability is to mix Ag3PO4 with a
hydrogen evolving photo-catalyst like TiO2.
Bedlasky - 30-10-2020 at 03:30
That's really interesting, I never read about this property of Ag3PO4. I'll definitely try it.