New insights into the influence of plasmonic and non-plasmonic nanostructures on the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide

Abstract

The results of this work cover the influence of plasmonic (gold) and non-plasmonic (palladium) nanostructures on the photocatalytic activity and redox properties of titanium dioxide. Materials decorated with gold, palladium and both materials were examined using photoelectrochemical and spectroelectrochemical methods to establish the changes introduced by the modifications and the possibility of the influence of the plasmonic effect from gold on their activity. Additionally, the photocatalytic tests of hydroxyl radical generation and hydrogen evolution were performed to confirm the activity of modified materials in oxidation and reduction reactions. It turned out that in the observed system the catalytic properties of palladium determine mostly the activity of modified materials, and the surface plasmon resonance of gold does not affect the activity. Moreover, the influence of the nanostructures on the activity, besides the catalytic performance, is the same for plasmonic and non-plasmonic ones and results in a change in the redox properties of the semiconductor.