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Rational Design of Ag/TiO 2 Nanosystems by a Combined RF‐Sputtering/Sol‐Gel Approach
Author(s) -
Armelao Lidia,
Barreca Davide,
Bottaro Gregorio,
Gasparotto Alberto,
Maccato Chiara,
Tondello Eugenio,
Lebedev Oleg I.,
Turner Stuart,
Van Tendeloo Gustaaf,
Sada Cinzia,
Štangar Urška Lavrenčič
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200900571
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , materials science , sputtering , transmission electron microscopy , scanning electron microscope , analytical chemistry (journal) , auger electron spectroscopy , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , thin film , chemistry , composite material , physics , chromatography , nuclear physics , engineering
The present work is devoted to the preparation of Ag/TiO 2 nanosystems by an original synthetic strategy, based on the radio‐frequency (RF) sputtering of silver particles on titania‐based xerogels prepared by the sol–gel (SG) route. This approach takes advantage of the synergy between the microporous xerogel structure and the infiltration power characterizing RF‐sputtering, whose combination enables the obtainment of a tailored dispersion of Ag‐containing particles into the titania matrix. In addition, the system′s chemico‐physical features can be tuned further through proper ex situ thermal treatments in air at 400 and 600 °C. The synthesized composites are extensively characterized by the joint use of complementary techniques, that is, X‐ray photoelectron and X‐ray excited Auger electron spectroscopies (XPS, XE‐AES), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), glancing incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE–SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED), high‐angle annular dark field scanning TEM (HAADF–STEM), energy‐filtered TEM (EF–TEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy. Finally, the photocatalytic performances of selected samples in the decomposition of the azo‐dye Plasmocorinth B are preliminarily investigated. The obtained results highlight the possibility of tailoring the system characteristics over a broad range, directly influencing their eventual functional properties.