Au nanorods decorated TiO2 nanobelts with enhanced full solar spectrum photocatalytic antibacterial activity and the sterilization file cabinet application

TiO2 photocatalysts have been widely studied and applied for removing bacteria, but its antibacterial efficiency is limited to the ultraviolet (UV) range of the solar spectrum. In this work, we use the gold (Au) nanorods to enhance the visible and near-infrared (NIR) light absorption of TiO2 NBs, a typical UV light photocatalyst, thus the enhancement of its full solar spectrum (UV, visible and NIR) photocatalytic antibacterial properties is achieved. Preliminary surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enhancement photocatalytic antibacterial mechanism is suggested. On one hand, transverse and longitudinal SPR of Au NRs is beneficial for visible and NIR light utilization. On the other hand, Au NRs combined with TiO2 NBs to form the heterostructure, which can improve the photogenerated carrier separation and direct electron transfer increases the hot electron concentration while Au NRs as the electron channel can well restrain charge recombination, finally produces the high yield of radical oxygen species and exhibits a superior antibacterial efficiency. Furthermore, we design a sterilization file cabinet with Au NR/TiO2 NB heterostructures as the photocatalytic coating plates. Our study reveals that Au NR/TiO2 NB heterostructure is a potential candidate for sterilization of bacteria and archives protection. (C) 2020 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, gold nanorods were used to enhance the light absorption of TiO2 NBs, resulting in improved photocatalytic antibacterial properties across the full solar spectrum. The combined Au NR/TiO2 NB heterostructure showed superior antibacterial efficiency due to enhanced carrier separation, direct electron transfer, and inhibition of charge recombination. The findings suggest a potential application of Au NR/TiO2 NB heterostructures in bacterial sterilization and archival protection.