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Novel Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres: Superimposed Effect of Gold Nanoparticles and Lanthanum Doping in Photocatalysis
Author(s) -
Wang Guannan,
Wang Pei,
Luo HeKuan,
Hor T. S. Andy
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemistry – an asian journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1861-471X
pISSN - 1861-4728
DOI - 10.1002/asia.201402007
Subject(s) - materials science , photocatalysis , rhodamine b , nanoparticle , doping , photodegradation , visible spectrum , nanotechnology , surface plasmon resonance , photocurrent , nanocrystal , absorption (acoustics) , chemical engineering , catalysis , optoelectronics , chemistry , composite material , biochemistry , engineering
Abstract Novel multielement Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres were synthesized by a solvothermal method using monodisperse gold and La‐SrTiO 3 nanocrystals as building blocks. The porous Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres had a large surface area of 94.6 m 2 g −1 . The stable confined Au nanoparticles demonstrated strong surface plasmon resonance effect, leading to enhanced absorption in a broad UV/Vis/NIR range. Doping of rare‐earth metal La also broadened the absorption band to the visible region. Both the conduction and valence bands of Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres thus show favorable potential for proton reduction under visible light. The superimposed effect of Au nanoparticles and La doping in Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres led to high photocurrent density in photoelectrochemical water splitting and good photocatalytic activity in photodegradation of rhodamine B. The photocatalytic activities are in the order of the following: Au/La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres>Au/SrTiO 3 microspheres>La‐SrTiO 3 microspheres>SrTiO 3 microspheres.