A very simple method for the preparation of Au/TiO2 plasmonic photocatalysts working under irradiation of visible light in the range of 600–700 nm

Abstract

By using a facile calcination method, we succeeded in the preparation of partially spherical gold particles supported on TiO₂ exhibiting photoabsorption due to surface plasmon resonance at around 620 nm. Surprisingly, the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde occurred in an aqueous suspension of thus-prepared Au/TiO₂ under irradiation of light from a Xe lamp with an R60 cut-off filter (λ > 600 nm), and the apparent quantum efficiency reached 7.2% at 625 nm and 4.2% even at 700 nm.