Gold modified copper doped titania (Au/Cu:TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified sol gel method and characterized using XRD, optical and TEM based techniques. The as-prepared material contained anatase phase particles with quasi-spherical morphology, showing enhanced absorption in the visible region and low photoluminescence emission intensity. Photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) in aqueous suspension with the Au/Cu:TiO2 catalyst under 532 nm laser radiation and a visible broad band lamp source yielded 96% and 45% removal, respectively, without any additives. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the improved plasmonic effect due to gold modification and the expanded visible absorption due to copper doping. Moreover a comparative study of the material properties and catalytic activity of TiO2, Cu–TiO2 and Au/Cu–TiO2 was carried out.

Paper: M.A. Gondal, M.A. Dastageer, S.G. Rashid, S.M. Zubair, M.A. Ali, D.H. Anjum, J.H. Lienhard, G.H. Mckinley, K.K. Varanasi. Science of Advanced Materials 2013.

Plasmon Resonance Enhanced Photocatalysis Under Visible Light with AuCu–TiO2Nanoparticles_300