Enhancement of rutile photocatalytic activity using buried nanoclusters

路易斯安那州立大学物理系的Richard Kurtz教授和菲利普Sprunger教授正在研究金属修饰的二氧化钛纳米颗粒表面有机氧化的光催化反应机制。 在分析和表面化学项目的支持下，该团队正在使用扫描探针显微镜和基于同步加速器的光电发射方法来表征金属修饰的二氧化钛颗粒，这些颗粒被二氧化钛层覆盖。 覆盖层被认为防止纳米金属天线在光催化颗粒上的氧化和团聚。 如果这一概念上的进步能够成功实施，将导致这些材料在环境修复和光催化水分解中的应用产生更广泛的影响。金属修饰的二氧化钛纳米粒子可以被调谐以吸收太阳辐射，并用作水分解和有机氧化反应的光催化剂。 Kurtz教授和他在LSU的同事正在将表面表征方法应用于二氧化钛覆盖的纳米颗粒，试图了解这些材料的光催化机制。 可能导致应用于与环境相关的系统。

AbstractCHE-0615606Kurtz/LSUProfessors Richard Kurtz and Phillip Sprunger in the Physics Department at Louisiana State University are examining the photocatalytic reaction mechanisms of organic oxidation at metal decorated titanium dioxide nanoparticle surfaces. With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, this team is using scanning probe microscopy and synchrotron based photoemission methods to characterize metal decorated titania particles which have been capped with a layer of titania. The capping layer is thought to prevent oxidation and agglomeration of the nanometal antennae on the photocatalytic particles. Significant broader impacts will result in the application of these materials in environmental remediation and photocatalytic water splitting, if this conceptual advance can be successfully implemented. Metal decorated titania nanoparticles can be tuned to absorb solar radiation and used as photocatalysts for water splitting and organic oxidation reactions. Professor Kurtz and his coworkers at LSU are applying surface characterization methods to titania capped nanoparticles, in an attempt to understand photocatalytic mechanisms on these materials. Application to environmentally relevant systems may result.