Titania-based Materials Research Articles

Thermal and/or Microwave Treatment: Insight into the Preparation of Titania-Based Materials for CO2 Photoreduction to Green Chemicals.

Titanium dioxide was synthesized via hydrolysis of titanium (IV) isopropoxide using a sol-gel method, under neutral or basic conditions, and heated in the microwave-assisted solvothermal reactor and/or high-temperature furnace. The phase composition of the prepared samples was determined using the X-ray diffraction method. The specific surface area and pore volumes were determined through low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption studies. The photoactivity of the samples was tested through photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide. The composition of the gas phase was analyzed using gas chromatography, and hydrogen, carbon oxide, and methane were identified. The influence of pH and heat treatment on the physicochemical properties of titania-based materials during photoreduction of carbon dioxide have been studied. It was found that the photocatalysts prepared in neutral environment were shown to result in a higher content of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane in the gas phase compared to photocatalysts obtained under basic conditions. The highest amounts of hydrogen were detected in the processes using photocatalysts heated in the microwave reactor, and double-heated photocatalysts.

Co-Ti Bimetallic Complex-Induced Phase Modulation of Co@Black TiO2 for Catalytic Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde.

Transition-metal-doped black titania, primarily in the anatase phase, shows promise for redox reactions, water splitting, hydrogen generation, and organic pollutant removal, but exploring other titania phases for broader catalytic applications is underexplored. This study introduces a synthetic approach using a Co-Ti bimetallic complex bridged by a 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione ligand as a precursor for the synthesis of cobalt-doped black titania [Co@L2N@b-TiO2]. The synthesis involves precise control of pyrolysis conditions, yielding a distinct structure dominated by the rutile phase over anatase, with active cobalt encapsulated within a nitrogen-doped graphitic layer, primarily as Co0 rather than CoII and CoIII. The synthesized material is employed for the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) to cinnamyl alcohol (COL) under industrially viable conditions. The efficiency and selectivity of Co@L2N@b-TiO2 was compared with other catalysts, including cobalt-doped rutile TiO2 (Co@r-TiO2), anatase TiO2 (Co@a-TiO2), and black titania (Co@b-TiO2) as well as materials pyrolyzed under different atmospheres and temperatures, materials with phenanthroline ligands, and materials lacking any ligands. The superior performance of Co@L2N@b-TiO2 is attributed to its high surface area, stable Co0 within the nitrogen-doped graphitic layer, and composition of rutile and anatase phases of TiO2 and Ti2O3 (referred to as RAT), along with the synergistic interaction between RAT and Co0. These factors significantly influence the efficiency and selectivity of COL over hydrocinnamaldehyde (HCAL) and hydrocinnamyl alcohol (HCOL), indicating potential for broader applications beyond catalysis, particularly in designing of black titania-based materials.

Elevating Energy Density in Li-Ion Batteries through Electrospun Nanotubular Titania-Polymer Interfaces

The introduction of new anode materials holds the potential to address critical safety concerns associated with current commercialized options in Li-ion batteries. Graphite, while widely used, poses challenges due to its low charging potential, which contributes to the growth of dendrites and safety risks. In contrast, titania-based materials present an appealing solution. Their higher operational potential not only curbs dendrite formation but also prevents the formation of a thick solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Furthermore, the limited volume expansion during lithiation significantly enhances their safety profile, differentiating them from graphite-based anodes such as those incorporating silicon.In this new study, titania-based nanotubular structures were created for high-energy Li-ion batteries using a novel electrospinning technique. Titania-based nanotubes were synthesized, modified for optimal charge transfer, and combined with a self-standing electrode through electrospinning with PVDF. The effects of various thermal treatment conditions on Li-ion diffusion were explored using electrochemical methods. The best charge transfer kinetics were observed in the sample treated for 10 hours. After optimizing the electrospinning process, a fully embedded nanotube fibrous structure was achieved, confirmed by electron microscopy. The use of a polymeric network removed the need for metallic current collectors, boosting energy density by 14%. These electrospun electrodes show great promise for high-energy applications.This work was supported by the M-era.Net 2019 call project “LiBASED Li-ion BAttery-SupErcapacitor Hybrid Device”. The research was co-funded by the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK) with project number 119N758.

On the Origin of Raman Activity in Anatase TiO2 (Nano)Materials: An Ab Initio Investigation of Surface and Size Effects.

Titania-based materials are abundant in technological applications, as well as everyday products; however, many of its structure-property relationships are still unclear. In particular, its surface reactivity on the nanoscale has important consequences for fields such as nanotoxicity or (photo)catalysis. Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterize titania-based (nano)material surfaces, mainly based on empirical peak assignments. In the present work, we address the structural features responsible for the Raman spectra of pure, stoichiometric TiO2 materials from a theoretical characterization. We determine a computational protocol to obtain accurate Raman response in a series of anatase TiO2 models, namely, the bulk and three low-index terminations by periodic ab initio approaches. The origin of the Raman peaks is thoroughly analyzed and the structure-Raman mapping is performed to account for structural distortions, laser and temperature effects, surface orientation, and size. We address the appropriateness of previous experimental use of Raman to quantify the presence of distinct TiO2 terminations, and provide guidelines to exploit the Raman spectrum based on accurate rooted calculations that could be used to characterize a variety of titania systems (e.g., single crystals, commercial catalysts, thin layered materials, facetted nanoparticles, etc.).

Composite Nanoarchitectonics of Photoactivated Titania-Based Materials with Anticancer Properties.

The synthesis of titania-based composite materials with anticancer potential under visible-light irradiation is the aim of this study. In specific, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) chemically modified with silver were embedded in a stimuli-responsive microgel (a crosslinked interpenetrating network (IP) network that was synthesized by poly (N-Isopropylacrylamide) and linear chains of polyacrylic acid sodium salt, forming composite particles. The ultimate goal of this research, and for our future plans, is to develop a drug-delivery system that uses optical fibers that could efficiently photoactivate NPs, targeting cancer cells. The produced Ag-TiO2 NPs, the microgel and the composite materials were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), micro-Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results indicated that Ag-TiO2 NPs were successfully embedded within the thermoresponsive microgel. Either Ag-TiO2 NPs or the composite materials exhibited high photocatalytic degradation efficiency on the pollutant rhodamine B and significant anticancer potential under visible-light irradiation.

Mechanism of One-Step Hydrothermally Synthesized Titanate Catalysts for Ozonation.

A titanate nanotube catalyst for ozonation was synthesized with a simple one-step NaOH hydrothermal treatment without energy-consuming calcination. The synthesized titania catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, porosimetry analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis. The catalyst treated with a higher concentration of NaOH was found to be more catalytically active for phenol removal due to its higher titanate content that would facilitate more OH groups on its surface. Furthermore, the main active oxidizing species of the catalytic ozonation process were recognized as singlet oxygen and superoxide radical, while the hydroxyl radical may only play a minor role. This work provides further support for the correlation between the properties of titania and catalytic performance, which is significant for understanding the mechanism of catalytic ozonation with titania-based materials.

Mesoporous Silica and Titania-Based Materials for Stability Enhancement of Polyphenols.

To improve phytochemical stability, polyphenolic extracts prepared from Salvia officinalis L., which is a valuable source of phytocompounds with health benefits, were embedded into mesopores of silica, titania, or titania-ceria materials. Ethanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared by conventional, microwave- or ultrasound-assisted extraction. The influence of the extraction conditions on chemical profile, radical scavenger activity (RSA), and antimicrobial potential of the extracts was assessed. The extracts were characterized by spectrophotometric determination of total polyphenols, flavonoids, chlorophyll pigment contents, as well as RSA. A reverse phase HPLC- PDA analysis was performed for the identification and quantification of extract polyphenols. The extract-loaded materials exhibited an enhanced RSA compared to the free extract after several months of storage, resulting in better polyphenol stability over time following embedding into a mesoporous matrix. Selected extracts free and embedded into mesoporous support were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923; the best antimicrobial activity was obtained for S. aureus. A slight improvement in antimicrobial activity was observed for the ethanolic extract prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction following embedding into the TiO2 matrix compared to MCM-41 silica due to the support contribution.

Prussian blue as a co-catalyst for enhanced Cr(vi) photocatalytic reduction promoted by titania-based nanoparticles and aerogels

A nanostructured Prussian blue layer deposited on titania-based materials acts as an efficient electron acceptor/mediator greatly enhancing Cr(vi) photocatalytic reduction.

Toward the Green Production of H2: Binary Pt–Ru Promoted Nb-TiO2 Based Photocatalysts

Hydrogen photoproduction using methanol:water mixtures was essayed with PtRu titania-based materials. All materials contain a high-surface-area Nb-doped anatase support. Six bimetallic formulations with Pt:Ru ratios from 4:1 to 1:4 and two (Pt and Ru) monometallic reference samples were utilized. The catalytic response of the materials to three main experimental variables (methanol:water molar ratio, catalyst concentration, and light intensity) was studied through a Box-Benhken factorial design and the calculation of the true quantum efficiency. The optimum activity is achieved using a bimetallic PtRu (2:1) composition, which provides outstanding efficiency under ultraviolet (UV), visible, and sunlight illumination, as well as long-term stability. The interpretation of the activity was performed using characterization results, the outcome of an analysis of charge recombination with photoluminescence spectroscopy and of an in situ infrared study under reaction conditions. This proves that the photophysical and chemical properties of metallic Pt particles in contact with Ru oxidized particles are key to render highly active systems.

A New titania glyco-purification tip for the fast enrichment and efficient analysis of glycopeptides and glycans by MALDI-TOF-MS

Enrichment and/or purification of intact glycopeptides and derivatized glycans are essential for mass spectrometry-based glycoproteomics and glycomics because of analytical challenges observed in the analysis. Here, a titania-based material was synthesized using a facile sol-gel method for the efficient analysis of glycopeptides and glycans. The glycopeptide enrichment efficacy of the titania-based sol-gel material was evaluated by the enrichment of IgG N-glycopeptides from their proteolytic products. The selectivity and sensitivity (0.5 fmol μL−1) of the titania-based sol-gel material was found to be quite high when compared with commercial TiO2. A pipette-tip application for rapid glycoproteomic and glycomic analysis was developed by packing titania-based material into the pipette tips. The released and derivatized N-glycans of human plasma, IgG and human transferrin were successfully purified by titania glyco-purification tips for the analysis by MALDI-MS. The enrichment performance of the titania glyco-purification tip was tested using human plasma digest as a real-world complex sample and, 112 N-glycopeptides from human plasma glycoproteins were detected by the analysis of enriched samples by nLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Finally, the structural characterization of the material was achieved in detail using various characterization approaches.

Braiding kinetics and spectroscopy in photo-catalysis: the spectro-kinetic approach.

The combination of kinetic and spectroscopic tools has become a key scientific methodology for the understanding of catalytic behavior but its application in photocatalysis has inherent difficulties due to the nature of the energy source of the reaction. This review article provides an overview of its use by, first, presenting mechanistically derived kinetic formulations and spectroscopic data handling methods including intrinsic expressions for light and, second, highlighting representative examples of application. To do it we consider universal catalytic systems, particularly (although not exclusively) titania-based materials, and the most frequent hole and/or electron triggered reaction schemes. This review also provides a general framework to pave the way for the future progress of the spectro-kinetic approach in the photocatalysis area.

Switchable Intrinsic Defect Chemistry of Titania for Catalytic Applications

The energy crisis is one of the most serious issue that we confront today. Among different strategies to gain access to reliable fuel, the production of hydrogen fuel through the water-splitting reaction has emerged as the most viable alternative. Specifically, the studies on defect-rich TiO2 materials have been proved that it can perform as an efficient catalyst for electrocatalytic and photocatalytic water-splitting reactions. In this invited review, we have included a general and critical discussion on the background of titanium sub-oxides structure, defect chemistries and the consequent disorder arising in defect-rich Titania and their applications towards water-splitting reactions. We have particularly emphasized the origin of the catalytic activity in Titania-based material and its effects on the structural, optical and electronic behavior. This review article also summarizes studies on challenging issues on defect-rich Titania and new possible directions for the development of an efficient catalyst with improved catalytic performance.

Charge separation and ROS generation on tubular sodium titanates exposed to simulated solar light

The research focuses on a few key points concerning the light-driven processes taking place on TiO2 anatase and sodium titanates with tubular morphology, such as the relationship between the morphology and activity for H2 and CO2 production, density of surface hydroxyl groups, ROS (OH and O2−) production and photocatalytic activity, and charge separation at the interface of semiconducting domains and enhancement of activity. One key point discussed is whether the materials with peculiar morphologies (i.e. tubular) are superior to the conventional ones. The experimental evidences show that the main advantage of the tubular morphology of sodium titanate is given by its significantly higher surface area compared to parental anatase. FTIR and XPS progressive analyses evidence that the density of surface hydroxyl groups decreases with the development of the tubular morphology. The radical trapping experiments show that the variation of surface hydroxyl density is, generally, followed by activities for OH and O2− generation, as well as by the photocatalytic production of H2 and CO2 from water/methanol mixture. Consequently, the ROS, formed by action of photogenerated electrons and holes on adsorbed O2 and hydroxyl groups, respectively, play an important role in determining the photocatalytic activity of titania-based materials. The other major aspect revealed by this research is that the charge separation at the interfaces formed between anatase and sodium titanate crystalline phases has remarkable effect on the activity formation rates of H2 and CO2.

Novel nanorod Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 prepared by facile hydrothermal process: A promising non-carbon support for Pt in PEMFCs

Late transition metal doped TiO2 has been exploited for generating efficient catalyst support by enhancing electrical conductivity and modifying properties of TiO2. The Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 nanorod (NRs), a novel catalyst support for Pt nanoparticles, was prepared for the first time via single-step hydrothermal process at low temperature using IrCl3·3H2O and TiCl4 as starting materials. We found that the Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs with 70–80 nm in length and 25–30 nm in width is successful prepared at 210 °C for 12 h without utilizing surfactants or stabilizers. In addition, the Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs was presented principally as a single-phase solid with the TiO2 is in the rutile form with high crystallinity without using further treatment after synthesis. More importantly, we found that the Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs possesses high electrical conductivity (0.028 S cm−1) dealing the intrinsically non-conducted drawback of TiO2. The Pt nanoparticles were then deposited on the support of Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs via chemical reduction method. The properties of 20 wt % Pt/Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs electrocatalyst were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the cyclic voltammetry (CV). The uniformly distributed small Pt nanoparticles (3–4 nm diameter) were well adhered to the Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs. The electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of 20 wt % Pt/Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs was higher than that of the commercial 20 wt % Pt/C (E-TEK) due to the small size and good dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on the surface of Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs. Moreover, the ECSA value of the Pt/Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs retained up to 88% after 2000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry, suggesting the high stability of catalyst resulted from strong metal support interaction (SMSI) of Titania-based materials with the noble metals. More importantly, the onset potential of Pt/Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs catalyst towards oxygen reduction reaction is more positive (∼80 mV) compared to commercial Pt/C, indicating the high catalytic activity of the Pt/Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs catalyst. The results of this research suggested that novel Ti0·7Ir0·3O2 NRs could be applied as promising robust non-carbon support for Pt. This research also creates a preliminary step for investigating systematically promising Iridium doped Titania materials.

Coupling of the electrochemical oxidation (EO-BDD)/photocatalysis (TiO2-Fe-N) processes for degradation of acid blue BR dye

We report on the successful preparation of Fe-N codoped Titania powders, using TiO2 Degussa P25, salt of Fe (II), and Urea. Modified Titania-based materials were characterized by SEM, EDS, BET, Raman, XRD diffraction and diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy measurements. The doping of TiO2 induced a shift in the absorption threshold toward the spectral range, obtaining catalysts with a greater photoactivity than the one of pure Degussa P25. The degradation of 200mL of a solution with 50mgL−1 acid blue BR dye in sulfate medium at pH3.0 has been comparatively studied by electrochemical oxidation using a boron doped diamond anode (EO-BDD), Photocatalysis TiO2-Fe-N, and coupled material of EO-BDD/Photocatalysis TiO2-Fe-N. The solution was slowly degraded by EO-BDD (25%) and single Photocatalysis TiO2-Fe-N because of the low rate of dye degradation and its colored by-products with hydroxyl radicals generated at the BDD anode and catalyst surface from water oxidation (29%), whereas the solution was more rapidly degraded using coupled material of EO-BDD/Photocatalysis TiO2-Fe-N (82%), owing to the additional generation of hydroxyl radicals from the photocatalysis of TiO2-Fe-N and BDD anode.

Metal-promoted titania photocatalysis for destruction of nitrates and organics from aqueous environments.

This review article provides an overview of activities in the rapidly developing field of water purification via photocatalytic methods and focuses on the removal of nitrate ions with simultaneous removal of the hole scavenger. Many of the issues associated with provision of potable water in the developing world may be resolved by the use of simple physical methodologies such as filtration. However, many of the issues associated with water purity in the developed world involve complex, stable molecules present at low concentrations that are nonetheless capable of producing toxic effects in plants and animals and that require more demanding removal technologies. Photocatalytic methods can be operated remotely and often show minimal production of undesired side products. Titania alone shows limitations, not only in terms of the slow rate of photoreduction of nitrate but also in terms of selectivity and the need to employ radiation in the UV region due to the magnitude of the band gap. Key challenges may be defined as: reducing the band gap/increasing absorption in the visible region, enhancing the adsorption capacity/access to the surface sites and reducing the rate of hole/electron recombination. The present article will focus on the use of titania-based materials that involve metal co-catalysts for nitrate reduction.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Providing sustainable catalytic solutions for a rapidly changing world'.

Nanostructured TiO<sub>2</sub> Materials: Preparation, Properties and Potential Applications (3P’s)

Nanostructured materials are a new class of materials which provide one of the greatest potentials for improving performance and extended capabilities of products in a number of applications. In particular nanostructured TiO2 was used as photocatalysts, gas sensor, solar cells and nanocomposite biomaterials. For each of these applications, aspects such as surface morphology, crystallinity and chemistry of the titania-based materials are the key parameters to be settled for the process optimization. A series of nanostructured TiO2 materials (TiO2 nanotubes, TiO2 nanorods, TiO2 nanoparticles) was synthesized using simple hydrothermal methods. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron microscope (FESEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area characterization was carried out to study the properties of synthesized nanostructured TiO2 materials. The performance of synthesized nanostructured TiO2 was evaluated for various applications such as photocatalyst for methyl orange (MO) degradation and anti-bacterial thin film for biomedical and food packaging. Among the nanostructured TiO2 materials, TiO2 nanotubes shows the highest activity regardless of their applications. This is probably due to their nanotubular morphology in which provided high surface area materials. The surface area of TiO2 nanotubes was found to be 226.52 m2/g. The outer and inner diameters of nanotubes are 4 nm and 10 nm, respectively with several hundred nanometers in length. Anatase TiO2 phase structure and crystallinity of TiO2 nanotubes supports the good performances of the nanostructured materials.

UV-induced formation of color centers in dispersed TiO2 particles: Effect of thermal treatment, metal (Al) doping, and adsorption of molecules

Titanium dioxide is one of the most popular photoactive solids used as a photocatalyst, and as a self-cleaning, bactericidal, superhydrophilic (hydrophobic) and photochromic material when exposed to UV light. The primary steps of titania’s response to UV light are responsible for its photoactivity that involve generation of photocarriers subsequent to photoexcitation in its intrinsic (band-to-band transitions) and extrinsic absorption regions (defects-to-conduction band transitions). Photoexcitation into extrinsic absorption bands related mainly to extrinsic defects introduced deliberately through doping and to pre-existing intrinsic defects is an important step in the creation of visible-light-active (VLA) photocatalysts and other VLA titania-based materials. Despite the useful effects of doping, doping can also be detrimental because it can enhance the loss of otherwise active photocarriers through recombination with increasing dopant concentration. This article reports on AlxTi(1-x)O2 materials at different levels of Al doping that preliminary testing revealed significant photoinduced coloration. Materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, XPS spectroscopy, SEM/EDX spectroscopic microanalyses, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and by the BET method for specific surface area determination. The principal objectives were to examine the effect(s) of thermal treatment of pristine titania (up to 1000°C) and Al-doped titania that led to the formation of intrinsic and extrinsic (Al in Ti positions) defects in the subsurface region and in the bulk lattice, together with the effect(s) that adsorbed and photoadsorbed oxygen and hydrogen molecules impart on the UV-induced coloration of dispersed titania particles. Results confirm that both thermal treatment and Al doping of titania caused noticeable UV coloration of the titania particles. The ultimate level of coloration of TiO2 under illumination in air was an order of magnitude greater than in vacuum. Results also demonstrate that UV-induced photocoloration of titania could delineate between the subsurface and bulk areas in titania particles, and could assess the depth of the subsurface region from the depth of the space charge region. The relevance of using the photocoloration of titania and other metal oxides as a simple tool to determine whether or not a so-called photocatalyzed reaction is truly catalytic has also been inferred.

The effect of the nature of substrate (Ge, Si and SnO2) on the band gap of TiO2 ultra-thin films: A promising new nanomaterial for solar energy technologies and the photocatalytic activity

Abstract Achieving an optimal band gap is a crucial step towards achieving efficiency and sustainability in many technological applications. In the present work, a computational investigation is carried out to explore the stability and the electronic properties of bulk and ultra-thin layers of TiO2 materials on a variety of substrates. The results show that the band structure of Titania-based materials can be tuned by designing ultra-thin layer devices that can affect the interatomic distances in a substrate engineering approach. Going from a band gap of about 3.0 eV for Bulk TiO2, a variety of layerings on different substrates is shown to yield a band gap in the 1.2–3.3 eV range. A titania multilayer device on tin oxide substrate is shown to lead to the important band gap of 1.2 eV, such a scheme can have tremendous applications for solar energy technologies and the photocatalytic activity of TiO2.

Purely Visible-Light-Induced Photochromism in Ag-TiO2 Nanoheterostructures.

We report titania nanoheterostructures decorated with silver, exhibiting tuneable photochromic properties for the first time when stimulated only by visible white light (domestic indoor lamp), with no UV wavelengths. Photochromic materials show reversible color changes under light exposure. However, all inorganic photochromic nanoparticles (NPs) require UV light to operate. Conventionally, multicolor photochromism in Ag-TiO2 films involves a change in color to brownish-gray during UV-light irradiation (i.e., reduction of Ag+ to Ag0) and a (re)bleaching (i.e., (re)oxidation of Ag0 to colorless Ag+) upon visible-light exposure. In this work, on the contrary, we demonstrate visible-light-induced photochromism (ranging from yellow to violet) of 1-10 mol % Ag-modified titania NPs using both spectroscopic and colorimetric CIEL*a*b* analyses. This is not a bleaching of the UV-induced color but a change in color itself under exposure to visible light, and it is shown to be a completely different mechanism-driven by the interfacial charge transfer of an electron from the valence band of TiO2 to that of the AgxO clusters that surround the titania-to the usual UV-triggered photochromism reported in titania-based materials. The quantity of Ag or irradiation time dictated the magnitude and degree of tuneability of the color change, from pale yellow to dark blue, with a rapid change visible only after a few seconds, and the intensity and red shift of surface plasmon resonance induced under visible light also increased. This effect was reversible after annealing in the dark at 100 °C/15 min. Photocatalytic activity under visible light was also assessed against the abatement of nitrogen oxide pollutants, for interior use, therefore showing the coexistence of photochromism and photocatalysis-both triggered by the same wavelength-in the same material, making it a multifunctional material. Moreover, we also demonstrate and explain why X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is an unreliable technique with such materials.