ACTA

The Influence of the Au Nanoparticles Dimension on the Photocatalytic Performances of TiO₂-Au Porous Composites

G. Melinte^a, M. Baia^a, D. Georgescu^a, L. Baia^a, V. Iancu^a, L. Diamandescu^b, T. Popescu^b, L.C. Cotet^c, L. Barbu-Tudoran^d, V. Danciu^c and S. Simon^a
^aFaculty of Physics, Babes-Bolyai University, M. Kogalniceanu 1, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
^bNational Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 105 bis, P.O. Box MG. 7, 77125 Bucharest, Romania
^cFaculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, A. Janos 11, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
^dFaculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, Clinicilor 5-7, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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The influence of Au nanoparticles dimension on the photocatalytic performances of the TiO₂ aerogels-Au composites was evaluated. Structural and morphological peculiarities of the TiO₂ aerogel, unloaded and loaded with 5 and 22 nm Au nanoparticles, were studied by transmission electron microscopy technique, X-ray diffraction and N₂-sorption measurements. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance measurements were performed to determine the band gap energies. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by monitoring the salicylic acid photodegradation. It was found that the Au nanoparticles promote the anatase phase crystallization and produce the decrease of the specific surface area and band gap energy values. The porous composite with the smallest Au nanoparticles dimension exhibits the best photocatalytic performances.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.121.208
PACS numbers: 81.05.Rm, 81.07.Wx, 82.80.Ej, 68.37.Lp, 82.65.+r, 82.50.Hp