Author(s)

Christophe Massard¹, Sébastien Pairis², Yves Sibaud¹, Christelle Blavignac³, Oscar Komla Awitor¹

¹Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, LPC+, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
²Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut NEEL, CNRS, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
³Université Clermont Auvergne, CICS, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.

In the present work, we report on the behavior of synthesized gold nano-particles suspension, incorporated in titanium dioxide nanotube layers (TiO₂- NT) and fabricated by electrochemical anodization in 0.4 wt% hydrofluoric acid solution and we study its photocatalytic response. Gold nanoparticles were characterized using Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of TiO₂ nanotube layers doped by gold nanoparticles. Boosted photocatalytic performances on the degradation of an azo dye were obtained by using TiO₂ nanotube layers doped by gold nanoparticles (Au/TiO₂-NT), compared to undoped TiO₂ nanotube layer (TiO₂-NT) catalysts. Under UV irradiation, this new nanomaterial, with noble metal-semi conductor heterojunction (Au/ TiO₂-NT) exhibits a synergetic effect in accelerating the electron transfert, resulting in an enhanced photoactivity recorded in the kinetics of degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7). Chronoamperometry was used to highlight higher photocurrent produced by gold-titania interface submited to UV irradiation.

Gold Nanoparticle, TiO₂-NT, Photocurrent, Photodegradation

Massard, C. , Pairis, S. , Sibaud, Y. , Blavignac, C. and Awitor, O. (2017) Boosted Photoactivity of Titania Nanotube Layers Doped with a Suspension of Gold Nanoparticles. Advances in Nanoparticles, 6, 114-127. doi: 10.4236/anp.2017.63010.