Photocatalytic Activity of Nanocomposites Based on Titania Nanorods and Nanotubes Doped with Ag and Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles

• Published in: Nanobiotechnology Reports (Online) 2023-04, Vol.18 (2), p.207-215
• Main Authors: Serikov, T. M., Kayumova, A. S., Baltabekov, A. S., Ilyina, L. F., Zhanbirbayeva, P. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalytic activity; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composite materials; Crystallization; Electric currents; Electron transport; Graphene; High resistance; Industrial and Production Engineering; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Methylene blue; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Photocatalysis; Photoelectric effect; Processes; Rutile; Self-Organizing Structures and Nanoassembly; Silver; Spectral sensitivity; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 2635-1676; 1995-0780; 2635-1684; 1995-0799
• DOI: 10.1134/S2635167623700040

Films formed by TiO 2 nanotubes (TNT) and nanorods (TNR) and crystallized to the rutile phase have been synthesized. TNT and TNR with rutile phase were used to form nanocomposite materials with the addition of Ag and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles. It has been found that with the addition of Ag and rGO nanoparticles, the photocatalytic activity of nanocomposite materials increases due to the improvement of electron transport and the expansion of spectral sensitivity in the visible range, both for nanotubes and TiO 2 nanorods. Films made of TiO 2 nanorods and nanocomposite materials based on them demonstrate higher photocatalytic activity than films made of TiO 2 nanotubes and composite materials based on it. Thus, at a lighting duration of 100 min in the presence of a TNR/Ag/rGO film, the degradation of Methylene blue was 81%, and for TNT/Ag/rGO—67%. In addition, the results of the assessment of photocatalytic activity by the photocurrent response showed that TNR/Ag/rGO generate an electric current 1.5 times higher than TNT/Ag/rGO. The low photocatalytic activity of TNT and composite materials based on them is associated with a smaller surface area of the nanocomposite, high resistance values and electron lifetime.