Characterization of Au/TiO\(_2\) nanocomposite and its application to photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Minh Thuy Pham; Chinh Duc Vu; Thi Thu Hien Chu

doi:10.15625/0868-3166/22700

Author affiliations

Authors

Pham Minh Thuy ¹Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam;
²Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam;
³Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Building Materials, Hanoi University of Civil Enginerring (HUCE), Giai Phong, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0720-0865
Vu Duc Chinh ¹Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam;
²Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1852-7228
Chu Thi Thu Hien Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Building Materials, Hanoi University of Civil Enginerring, Giai Phong, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/0868-3166/22700

Keywords:

Au/TiO\(_2\) nanocomposite, photocatalysis, methylene blue degradation

Abstract

Au nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of TiO₂ particles using a photochemical reduction method. This modification creates a surface plasmon effect that enhances the local light intensity at the interface of Au and TiO₂ nanoparticles. Au/TiO₂ nanocomposites with varying Au content (0.5%, 1%, 3%, and 5%) were synthesized, resulting in Au nanoparticles of approximately 2 nm in size uniformly distributed on the TiO₂ surface, forming composite particles of the size ranging from 100 nm to 150 nm. The prepared samples were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV-Vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was evaluated. Compared with pure TiO₂, Au/TiO₂ exhibited higher activities for methylene blue decomposition. The rate constants of pseudo-first-order kinetics for Au-modified TiO₂ with Au contents of 0.5%, 1%, 3%, and 5% were 0.0456, 0.0579, 0.0536, and 0.0484 min⁻¹, respectively. These values are 1.66, 2.11, 1.95, and 1.76 times higher than that of unmodified TiO₂.

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