Enhancement of Sunlight Photocatalysis of Nano TiO2 by Ag Nanoparticles Stabilized with D-Glucosamine

Silver nanoparticles doped nano TiO2 with higher photocatalytic activity than the commercially available photocatalyst Degussa P25 has been prepared via low temperature hydrothermal route. Silver nanoparticles were prepared by chemical reduction and stabilization employing D-glucosamine and were used for doping in TiO2 nanoparticles. DRS study showed that nanosilver doping on nanoTiO(2) induces a shift of absorption edge to the visible range and there is narrowing of the band gap. The photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue in presence of synthesized TiO2 samples under sunlight was carried out and found that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 under solar irradiation was drastically increased by doping silver nanoparticles. It was observed that silver nanoparticles play an important role in the elimination of electron hole recombination which would be beneficial for the high photocatalytic activity.