PREPARATION OF Au-LOADED TiO2 BY PHOTOCHEMICAL DEPOSITION AND OZONE PHOTOCATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION

In this paper, Au-loaded TiO2 (Au/TiO2) photocatalysts were prepared by photochemical deposition method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicated the metallic Au nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of TiO2 after the high-pressure mercury irradiation and regarded as an electronegative center. The photocatalytic decomposition of gaseous ozone was investigated on TiO2 and Au-loaded TiO2 at room temperature. Results indicated that the photocatalytic conversion of ozone can be improved by Au/TiO2 and photocatalytic activity increased with the increase of the photodeposition time. The photocatalytic removal rate of ozone remained above 96% on the surface of 1% Au/TiO2 with photodeposition for 120 min under black lamp irradiation for 20 h. Au cluster deposited on the surface of TiO2 functioned not only as the electron trap center but also as the adsorption site of O3 in photocatalytic reaction.