Open AccessEnhanced visible light photocatalytic performance of CdS sensitized TiO2 nanorod arrays decorated with Au nanoparticles as electron sinks
Author(s) -
Xin Gao,
Xiangxuan Liu,
Zhongyi Zhu,
Ying Gao,
Qingbo Wang,
Fangyuan Zhu,
Zheng Xie
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-01124-5
Subject(s) - nanorod , photocatalysis , visible spectrum , materials science , nanoparticle , nanostructure , chemical engineering , photoluminescence , nanotechnology , photochemistry , optoelectronics , chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , engineering
In this paper, we propose a nanostructure with Au nanoparticles (NPs), as electron sinks, located at the most outside layer of CdS sensitized TiO 2 nanorod arrays (TiO 2 NRAs/CdS/Au). By the introduction of Au NPs, TiO 2 NRAs/CdS/Au performs higher visible light photocatalytic capacity in the degradation of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine wastewater than TiO 2 NRAs/CdS. The optimal deposition time for Au NPs is 30 s. The visible light induced degradation ability of TiO 2 NRAs/CdS/Au (30 s) is 1.4 times that of TiO 2 NRAs/CdS. The cycling stability of TiO 2 NRAs/CdS is greatly enchanced after Au NPs decoration, which can maintain 95.86% after three cycles. Photoluminescence spectra and photoelectrochemical measurements were carried out to reveal the underlying mechanism for the improved visible light photocatalytic capacity of TiO 2 NRAs/CdS/Au. This work demonstrates a promising way for the rational design of metal-semiconductor photocatalysts used in decomposition reaction that can achieve high photocatalytic efficiency.