Silver Nanoparticles Influence on Photocatalytic Activity of Hybrid Materials Based on TiO2P25

Tomkouani Kodom,Edina Rusen,Raluca Şomoghi,Aurel Diacon,Adrian Dinescu,Cristian Boscornea,Alexandra Mocanu,Ioan Călinescu

doi:10.1155/2015/210734

Abstract

The aim of the present study consists in the obtaining of a hybrid material film, obtained using TiO2P25 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The film manufacturing process involved realization of physical mixtures of TiO2P25 and AgNPs dispersions. The size distribution of the AgNPs proved to be a key factor determining the photodegradation activity of the materials measured using methyl orange. The best result was 33% degradation of methyl orange (MO) after 150 min. The second approach was the generation of AgNPs on the surface of TiO2P25. The obtained hybrid material presents photocatalytic activity of 45% MO degradation after 150 min. The developed materials were characterized by UV-VIS, SEM, and DLS analyses.

Highlights

One of the most omnipresent problems affecting people throughout the world is inadequate access to clean water and sanitation
The aim of the present study consists in the obtaining of a hybrid material film, obtained using TiO2 P25 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)
The aim of the present study consisted in the obtaining of hybrid material films, using TiO2 P25 and AgNPs

Summary

Introduction

One of the most omnipresent problems affecting people throughout the world is inadequate access to clean water and sanitation. TiO2 is abundant, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and photochemically stable under severe conditions [5], it has several disadvantages. One of these is related to the wide bandgap energy of 3.0 eV for rutile, respectively, and 3.2 eV for anatase which limits its applications, making possible the utilization of only 5% of the solar spectrum [1]. The high dispersion in water that causes sedimentation difficulties and sensitivity to the recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes decreases its photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic tests use TiO2 as powder suspension or as thin films immobilized on different substrates. Degussa P25 is commonly used as a standard reference photocatalyst in order to compare the photocatalytic activity with other photocatalysts [4]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion