Visible light-induced photocatalysis through surface-plasmon excitation of gold on titania surface

Fifteen commercial titania (titanium(IV) oxide; TiO 2) powders were modified with gold by photodeposition to prepare photocatalysts that work under irradiation with light in the visible range (vis). The gold-modified titania (Au/TiO 2) powders were characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), scanning transmission microscopy (STEM) and X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD). It was shown that all tested powders could absorb visible light with an absorption maximum at localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelengths (530-600 nm) and that the size and shape of gold nanoparticles determined absorption ranges. The photocatalytic activity of Au/TiO 2 powders was examined both under ultraviolet and vis irradiation (mainly >450 nm) for acetic acid and 2-propanol photooxidation. It was found that the activity depended strongly on gold and titania properties, such as particle size and shape, surface area and crystalline form. Under vis irradiation, large rutile particles loaded with gold particles of a wide range of sizes showed the highest level of photocatalytic activity, possibly due to greater light absorption ability in a wide wavelength range resulting from transverse and longitudinal LSPR of rod-like gold particles. Action spectrum analyses showed that visible light-induced oxidation of organic compounds by aerated gold-titania suspensions was initiated by excitation of LSPR absorption of gold. Although photocatalytic activity of nanosized gold particles under vis irradiation with a wavelength of ca. 430 nm and catalytic activity of gold-modified titania during dark reaction were also found, it was shown that the activities of 2 Au/TiO 2 particles originated from activation of LSPR of gold by light of wavelength of 530-650 nm. Participation of molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor and titania as a conductor of electrons was suggested by comparison with results obtained under deaerated conditions and results obtained using a system containing gold-deposited silica instead of gold-titania, respectively. On the basis of these results, the mechanism of visible light-induced oxidation of organic compounds on gold-titania is proposed. Introduction Titanium(IV) oxide (TiO 2 ; titania) is an inexpensive particulate material that is readily available and has substantial photocatalytic activity, stability toward inorganic and organic compounds and non-toxicity. 1 However, one drawback of titania is that it can only be excited by ultraviolet light, i.e., with wavelengths shorter than ca. 400 nm. Therefore, only a very small portion of solar radiation (3-5%) can be utilized to drive chemical reactions. 2 Thus, extension of its absorption wavelength range to the …