Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: This work focuses on the photocatalytic performances and antibacterial activity of TiO 2 and Au/TiO 2 nanosystems. While the former are obtained by a sol–gel route, the latter are synthesized by an innovative hybrid RF-sputtering/sol–gel approach, followed by ex situ annealing in air up to 600 °C. Important information on nanoparticle size, shape and distribution is obtained by the combined use of glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Subsequently, the photocatalytic performances of the obtained nanosystems in the decomposition of the azo-dye Plasmocorinth B and their antibacterial activity in the elimination of Bacillus subtilis are illustrated and discussed in comparison with films obtained from standard Degussa P25 powders. The obtained results show a significant dependence of the functional performances on the system's compositional, structural and morphological properties. In particular, the dispersion of gold nanoparticles on the TiO 2 matrix has a beneficial influence on the azo-dye photodegradation, whereas the antimicrobial activity of Au/TiO 2 films is retarded with respect to pure TiO 2 .
Source: Nanotechnology
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G169496968, G814045301
OpenAlex ID: W2016652709