Abstract
Mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures and TiO2−Au nanocomposites with stabilized Au nanoparticles are synthesized by the template sol-gel process. The effects of synthesis conditions on the particle size, electronic structure, morphology, composition, and texture of prepared materials are determined. TiO2- and TiO2−Au-based electrodes are shown to be photoactive in the wavelength range of 250–412 nm and in the methylene blue (MB) photodecomposition and feature high catalytic activity in an oxygen electroreduction reaction. The presence of hydroxyl and carboxylate groups in the amorphous phase is the key factor affecting the photosensitivity of our TiO2 nanostructures and contributing to enhancement of their photoactivity in the MB photodecomposition reaction. Due to their catalytic activity and consistent performance in the oxygen electroreduction reaction, the TiO2 nanostructures and TiO2−Au nanocomposites can be considered as promising materials for use in electrochemical oxygen sensors with application to aqueous solutions.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Chen, X. and Mao, S.S., Titanium dioxide nanomaterials: synthesis, properties, modifications, and applications, Chem. Rev., 2007, vol. 107, p. 2891.
Etacheri, V., Valentin, C.D., Schneider, J., Bahnemann, D., et al., Visible-light activation of TiO2 photocatalysts: advances in theory and experiments, J. Photochem. Photobiol. C, 2015, vol. 25, p. 1.
Nicholas, M.P., Nolan, T., Pillai, S.C., Seery, M.K., et al., A review on the visible light active titanium dioxide photocatalysts for environmental applications, Appl. Catal., B. 2012, vol. 125, p. 331.
Nakata, K. and Fujishima, A., TiO2 photocatalysis: design and applications, J. Photochem. Photobiol. C, 2012, vol. 13, p. 169.
Kumar, S.G. and Devi, L.G., Review on modified TiO2 photocatalysis under UV/visible light: Selected results and related mechanisms on interfacial charge carrier transfer dynamics, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2011, vol. 115, p. 13211.
Islam, S.Z., Nagpure, S., Kim, D.Y., and Rankin, S.E., Synthesis and catalytic applications of non-metal doped mesoporous titania, Inorganics, 2017, vol. 5, p. 1.
Fröschl, T., Hörmann, U., Kubiak, P., Kučerová, G., et al., High surface area crystalline titanium dioxide: potential and limits in electrochemical energy storage and catalysis, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2012, vol. 41, p. 5313.
Akpan, G. and Hameed, B.H., The advancements in sol-gel method of doped-TiO2 photocatalysts, Appl. Catal., A, 2010, vol. 375, p. 1.
Kumar, A. and Pandey, G., Different methods used for the synthesis of TiO2 based nanomaterials: a review, Am. J. Nano Res. Appl., 2018, vol. 6, p. 1.
Tian, H., Ma, J., Li, K., and Li, J., Hydrothermal synthesis of S-doped TiO2 nanoparticles and their photocatalytic ability for degradation of methyl orange, Ceram. Int., 2009, vol. 35, p. 1289.
Tseng, T.K., Lin, Y.S., Chen, Y.J., and Chu, H., A review of photocatalysts prepared by sol-gel method for VOCs removal, Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2010, vol. 11, no. 6, p. 2336.
Zhang, W., Zou, L., Lewis, R., and Dionysio, D., A review of visible-light sensitive TiO2 synthesis via sol-gel N-doping for the degradation of dissolved organic compounds in wastewater treatment, J. Mater. Sci. Chem. Eng., 2014, vol. 2, p. 28.
Mital, G.S. and Manoj, T., A review of TiO2 nanoparticles, Chin. Sci. Bull., 2011, vol. 56, p. 1639.
Huang, F., Yan, A., and Zhao, H., Influences of doping on photocatalytic properties of TiO2 photocatalyst, in Semiconductor Photocatalysis: Materials, Mechanisms and Applications, London: InTechOpen, 2016, ch. 2, p. 31.
Di Valentin, C. and Pacchioni, G., Trends in non-metal doping of anatase TiO2: B, C, N and F, Catal. Today, 2013, vol. 206, p. 12.
Seery, M.K., George, R., Floris, P., and Pillai, S.C., Silver doped titanium dioxide nanomaterials for enhanced visible light photocatalysis, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A, 2007, vol. 189, p. 258.
Rahulan, K.M., Ganesan, S., and Aruna, P., Synthesis and optical limiting studies of Au-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, Adv. Nat. Sci. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., 2011, vol. 2, p. 25012.
Taing, J., Cheng, M.H., and Hemminger, J.C., Photodeposition of Ag or Pt onto TiO2 nanoparticles decorated on step edges of HOPG, ACS Nano, 2011, vol. 5, p. 6325.
Sakthivel, S., Shankar, M.V., Palanichamy, M., Arabindoo, B., et al., Enhancement of photocatalytic activity by metal deposition: Characterization and photonic efficiency of Pt, Au and Pd deposited on TiO2 catalyst, Water Res., 2004, vol. 38, p. 3001.
Muruganandham, M. and Swaminathan, M., Solar photocatalytic degradation of a reactive Azo Dye in TiO2-suspension, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 2004, vol. 81, p. 439.
Awazu, K., Fujimaki, M., Rockstuhl, C., Tominaga, J., et al., A plasmonic photocatalyst consisting of silver nanoparticles embedded in titanium dioxide, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, vol. 130, p. 1676.
Atwater, H.A. and Polman, A., Plasmonics for improved photovoltaic devices, Nat. Mater., 2010, vol. 9, p. 205.
Standridge, S.D., Schatz, G.C., and Hupp, J.T., Distance dependence of plasmon-enhanced photocurrent in dye-sensitized solar cells, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, vol. 131, p. 8407.
Takai, A. and Kamat, P.V., Capture, store, and discharge. Shuttling photogenerated electrons across TiO2-silver interface, ACS Nano, 2011, vol. 5, p. 7369.
Bamwenda, G.R., Tsubota, S., Nakamura, T., and Haruta, M., Photoassisted hydrogen production from a water-ethanol solution: A comparison of activities of Au/TiO2 and Pt/TiO2, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A, 1995, vol. 89, p. 177.
Phan, T.L., Zhang, P., Tran, H.D., and Yu, S.C., Electron spin resonance study of Mn-doped metal oxides annealed at different temperatures, J. Korean Phys. Soc., 2010, vol. 57, p. 1270.
Wang, L., Clavero, C., Huba, Z., Carroll, K.J., et al., Plasmonics and enhanced magneto-optics in core-shell Co–Ag nanoparticles, Nano Lett., 2011, vol. 11, p. 1237.
Feng, C.-D., US Patent 6602401, 2003.
Vorobets, V.S., Korduban, A.M., Kolbasov, G.Ya., Blinkova, L.V., et al., Photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 films obtained by electrical explosion, Theor. Exp. Chem., 2012, vol. 48, p. 38.
Smirnova, N., Vorobets, V., Linnik, O., Manuilov, E., et al., Photoelectrochemical and photocatalytical properties of mesoporous TiO2 films modified with silver and gold nanoparticles, Surf. Interface Anal., 2010, vols. 6–7, p. 1205.
Ermokhina, N.I., Nevinskiy, V.A., Manorik, P.A., Ilyin, V.G., et al., Synthesis and characterization of thermally stable large-pore mesoporous nanocrystalline anatase, J. Solid State Chem., 2013, vol. 200, p. 90.
Periyat, P., Pillai, S.C., McCormack, D.E., Colreavy, J., et al., Improved high-temperature stability and sun-light-driven photocatalytic activity of sulfur-doped anatase TiO2, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2008, vol. 112, p. 7644.
Tauc, J., Grigorovi, R., and Vancu, A., Optical properties and electronic structure of amorphous germanium, Phys. Status Solidi, 1966, vol. 15, p. 627.
Doeuff, S., Henry, M., and Sanchez, C., Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of titanium oxo-acetate polymers, Mater. Res. Bull., 1990, vol. 25, p. 1519.
Larbot, A., Laaziz, I., Marignan, J., and Quinson, J.F., Porous texture of a titanium oxide gel: Evolution as a function of medium used, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1992, vols. 147–148, p. 157.
Hu, G., Ma, D., Cheng, M., Liu, L., et al., Direct synthesis of uniform hollow carbon spheres by a self-assembly template approach, Chem. Commun., 2002, vol. 8, no. 17, p. 1948.
Reyes-Coronado, D., Rodríguez-Gattorno, G., Espinosa-Pesqueira, M.E., Cab, C., et al., Phase-pure TiO2 nanoparticles: anatase, brookite and rutile, Nanotechnology, 2008, vol. 19, 145605 (10 p).
Doeuff, S., Dromzee, Y., Taulelle, F., and Sanchez, C., Synthesis and solid- and liquid-state characterization of a hexameric cluster of titanium(IV): Ti6(μ2-O)2(μ3-O)2(μ2-OC4H9)2(OC4H9)6(OCOCH3)8, Inorg. Chem., 1989, vol. 28, p. 4439.
Nakamoto, K., Infrared and Raman Spectra of Inorganic and Coordination Compounds, New York: Wiley, 1986, 4th ed.
Doeuff, S., Henry, M., Sanchez, C., and Livage, J., Hydrolysis of titanium alkoxides: Modification of the molecular precursor by acetic acid, J. Non-Cryst Solids, 1987, vol. 89, p. 206.
Thiele, K.H. and Panse, M., Beiträge zur Chemie der Alkylverbindungen von Übergangsmetallen. XXVII. Darstellung von Titanacetaten aus Tetramethyl- und Tetrabenzyltitan, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., 1978, vol. 441, p. 23.
Bagheri, S., Shameli, K., and Abd Hamid, Sh.B., Synthesis and characterization of anatase titanium dioxide nanoparticles using egg white solution via sol-gel method, J. Chem., 2013, vol. 2013, art. ID 848205. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/848205
Nakamura, R., Imanishi, A., Murakoshi, K., and Nakato, Y., In situ FTIR studies of primary intermediates of photocatalytic reactions on nanocrystalline TiO2 films in contact with aqueous solutions, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2003, vol. 125, p. 7443.
Smirnova, N., Petrik, I., Vorobets, V., Kolbasov, G., et al., Sol-gel synthesis, photo-and electrocatalytic properties of mesoporous TiO2 modified with transition metal ions, Nanoscale Res. Lett., 2017, vol. 12, p. 239.
Cushing, S.K., Li, J., Meng, F., Senty, T.R., et al., Photocatalytic activity enhanced by plasmonic resonant energy transfer from metal to semiconductor, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, vol. 134, p. 15033.
Hu, C., Peng, T., Hu, X., Nie, Y., et al., Plasmon-induced photodegradation of toxic pollutants with Ag–AgI/Al2O3 under visible-light irradiation, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, vol. 132, p. 857.
Christopher, P., Ingram, D.B., and Linic, S., Enhancing photochemical activity of semiconductor nanoparticles with optically active Ag nanostructures: Photochemistry mediated by Ag surface plasmons, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2010, vol. 114, p. 9173.
Shi, X., Ueno, K., Takabayashi, N., and Misawa, H., Plasmon-enhanced photocurrent generation and water oxidation with a gold nanoisland-loaded titanium dioxide photoelectrode, J. Phys. Chem. C, 2013, vol. 117, p. 2494.
Furube, A., Du, L., Hara, K., Katoh, R., et al., Ultrafast plasmon-induced electron transfer from gold nanodots into TiO2 nanoparticles, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, vol. 129, p. 14852.
Brown, M.D., Suteewong, T., Kumar, R.S.S., D’Innocenzo V., et al., Plasmonic dye-sensitized solar cells using core-shell metal-insulator nanoparticles, Nano Lett., 2011, vol. 11, p. 438.
Delahay, P., A polarographic method for the indirect determination of polarization curves for oxygen reduction on various metals. II. Application to nine common metals, J. Electrochem. Soc., 1950, vol. 97, p. 205.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Additional information
Translated by A. Kukharuk
About this article
Cite this article
Romanovskaya, N.I., Manorik, P.A., Vorobets, V.S. et al. Photoelectrochemical and Electrocatalytic Behaviors of TiO2 Nanostructures and TiO2−Au Nanocomposites: Effect of Synthesis Conditions. Surf. Engin. Appl.Electrochem. 58, 1–12 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068375522010094
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068375522010094