Photocatalytic Properties of Co3O4-Coated TiO2 Powders Prepared by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

Co3O4-coated commercial TiO2 powders (P25) p-n junction photocatalysts were prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) technique. The structure, morphology, bandgap, and photocatalytic properties under ultraviolet light were investigated systematically. Although the deposition of Co3O4 does not change the anatase structure and crystallite size of P25 powders, the ultraviolet photocatalytic activity has been improved evidently. For the Co3O4-coated P25 powders, the trace Co ions exist as Co3O4 nanoparticles attached to TiO2 powder surface instead of the occupation of Ti4+ position in TiO2 lattice. The Co3O4-coated P25 powders exhibit enhanced photocatalytic degradation efficiency of almost 100% for methylene blue in 1.5 h under ultraviolet light, compared with P25 of 80%. The Mott-Schottky plots of photocatalyst powders confirm the p-n heterojunction formation in Co3O4-TiO2 nanocomposite materials, which is beneficial to increase the efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole separation. In addition, the Co3O4 coating also promotes the adsorption of organic dyes of methylene blue on P25 powders.