Size effect in hybrid TiO2:Au nanostars for photocatalytic water remediation applications

• Autor(a) principal: Zheng, Fangyuan
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Martins, Pedro Manuel Abreu, Queirós, Joana M., Tavares, Carlos J., Vilas-Vilela, José Luis, Lanceros-Méndez, S., Reguera, Javier
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/81349
• topic: antibiotic degradation; hybrid TiO2; Au nanoparticles; visible photocatalysis; water remediation; hybrid TiO :Au nanoparticles 2; Ciências Naturais::Ciências Físicas; Science & Technology

TiO₂:Au-based photocatalysis represents a promising alternative to remove contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from wastewater under sunlight irradiation. However, spherical Au nanoparticles, generally used to sensitize TiO₂, still limit the photocatalytic spectral band to the 520 nm region, neglecting a high part of sun radiation. Here, a ligand-free synthesis of TiO₂:Au nanostars is reported, substantially expanding the light absorption spectral region. TiO₂:Au nanostars with different Au component sizes and branching were generated and tested in the degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Interestingly, nanoparticles with the smallest branching showed the highest photocatalytic degradation, 83% and 89% under UV and visible radiation, together with a threshold in photocatalytic activity in the red region. The applicability of these multicomponent nanoparticles was further explored with their incorporation into a porous matrix based on PVDF-HFP to open the way for a reusable energy cost-effective system in the photodegradation of polluted waters containing CECs.