Photocatalytic activity of rutile/anatase TiO2 nanorod/nanobranch thin film loaded with Au@Ag@Au core double shell nanoparticles

Abstract

A seeding-growth approach was used to prepare Au@Ag@Au core double shell nanoparticles which were loaded on a rutile-nanorods/anatase-nanobranches thin film via the impregnation method. The thin film was synthesized on a fluorine-doped SnO2 substrate via three stages of (i) TiCl4 treatment, (ii) hydrothermal, and (iii) aqueous chemistry. The photocatalytic capability of the newly developed nanostructure was higher than P25 TiO2 thin film by 40% under visible light and by 100% under UV light irradiation. Photogenerated charges separation at the junctions of rutile-nanorods and anatase-nanobranches along with localized surface plasmon resonance followed by the hot electron transfer from the core double shell nanoparticles to TiO2 resulted in the enhancement of photocatalytic activity observed under visible light irradiation. Under UV light illumination, the charge separation effect plus the electron trapping by Au@Ag@Au nanoparticles were responsible for the photocatalytic performance improvement of TiO2.