Biogenic Fabrication of Au@CeO2 Nanocomposite with Enhanced Visible Light Activity

Abstract

This study reports a biogenic approach to the synthesis of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite using electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) in water under normal pressure and 30 °C. This work presents the results of extensive morphological, structural, optical, visible light photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic studies of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite. The presence of a large number of interfaces between Au nanoparticles and CeO2 for charge transfer is believed to play a key role in enhancing the optical and visible light photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite. The enhanced visible light degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue by Au@CeO2 nanocomposite was much higher than that by pure CeO2. The reusability, stability, and other results suggests that the Au@CeO2 nanocomposite could be exploited as potential candidates for visible light photocatalysis, photovoltaic, and photoelectrochemical devices.