Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

tIn the present investigation, TiO2modified with a different geometry and size of gold particles, suchas nanospheres (NSPs), nanostars (NSTs) and nanorods (NRs), were prepared by the immobilizationmethod. The effect of the gold shape, size and TiO2matrix type (TiO2microspheres or rutile TIO-6 TiO2)were systematically investigated. The obtained photocatalysts were thoroughly characterized by UV–visdiffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), BET surface area measurements, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), scanning transmission microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and X-ray photoelec-tron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity under visible light ( > 420 nm) has been estimatedin phenol degradation reaction in an aqueous phase. The significantly high photocatalytic activity undervisible light irradiate as demonstrated by the TiO2sample modified by spheres of gold. The average rateof phenol decomposition was 1.9 mol dm−3min−1and was three-times higher compared to the pristineTiO2amorphous microspheres. On the other hand the photocatalytic activity was relatively lower and was0.38 and 0.27 mol dm−3min−1for nanorods and nanostars deposited on the amorphous form of TiO2microspheres, respectively. The visible light activity decreased in following order: (NSPs)> (NRs)> (NSTs).The obtained photocatalytic efficiency of samples was ascribed to the geometry and the size effect ofthe enhanced and the possible mechanism for this was discussed in detail. Furthermore, in this work weshow the effect of calcination temperature on the structure of gold NPs, NRs and NSs before and aftermodification on the morphology and photocatalytic activity of Au-TiO2.

Authors

• mgr inż. Anna Gołąbiewska link open in new tab ,
• Anna Malankowska,
• Marcin Jarek,
• Wojciech Lisowski,
• Grzegorz Nowaczyk,
• Stefan Jurga,
• prof. dr hab. inż. Adriana Zaleska-Medynska link open in new tab