Influence of Excitation Wavelength (UV or Visible Light) on the Photocatalytic Activity of Titania Containing Gold Nanoparticles for the Generation of Hydrogen or Oxygen from Water

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Claudia G Gomes Silva (Author) FEUP; Raquel Juarez (Author) Other; Tiziana Marino (Author) Other; Raffaele Molinari (Author) Other; Hermenegildo Garcia (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of the American Chemical Society

Vol. 133

Pages: 595-602

ISSN: 0002-7863

Publisher: American Chemical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 680 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 780 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Chemical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-NPK

DOI: 10.1021/ja1086358

Abstract (EN): Gold nanoparticles supported on P25 titania (Au/TiO(2)) exhibit photocatalytic activity for UV and visible light (532 nm laser or polychromatic light lambda > 400 nm) water splitting. The efficiency and operating mechanism are different depending on whether excitation occurs on the titania semiconductor (gold acting as electron buffer and site for gas generation) or on the surface plasmon band of gold (photoinjection of electrons from gold onto the titania conduction band and less oxidizing electron hole potential of about -1.14 V). For the novel visible light photoactivity of Au/TiO(2), it has been determined that gold loading, particle size and calcination temperature play a role in the photocatalytic activity, the most active material (Phi(H2) = 7.5% and Phi(O2) = 5.0% at 560 nm) being the catalyst containing 0.2 wt % gold with 1.87 nm average particle size and calcined at 200 degrees C.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8