Interfacial interaction of plasmonic nanoparticles (Ag, Au) decorated floweret TiO2 nanorod hybrids for enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic activity

One dimensional TiO2 nanorods (TONRs) hybrids have enormous potential for photocatalytic applications. Integrating TONRs with plasmonic Nanoparticles (PNPs) to form hybrid structures enhances its photocatalytic activity by local surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) effect. The Present work reports PNPs decorated TONRs for visible light driven photocatalytic activity. PNPs of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) with different sizes are decorated over TONRs to form PNP-TONRs hybrids. The size of Ag and Au PNPs are engineered by using inert gas evaporation method at different vapour pressures. The microRaman studies of hybrids reveal the enhanced Eg mode due to SERS effect. The decoration of Au PNPs with small size PNPs on TONRs have been found efficacious to alter Schottky effect and plasmonic activity. PNPs-TONRs hybrids are further explored for photocatalytic activity. The overall photocatalytic activity of small sized Au based hybrids is better than Ag based hybrids owing to their better Schottky effect and plasmonic activity.

Automated summary

Decoration of Ag and Au PNPs of different sizes on TONRs for visible light driven photocatalytic activity showed enhanced Eg mode in Raman studies, with small sized Au hybrids exhibiting better overall photocatalytic activity due to improved Schottky effect and plasmonic activity.