Ag/AgCl nanoparticles embedded in porous TiO2: defect formation triggered by light irradiation

Abstract

Ag/AgCl nanoparticles embedded in defective porous titanium dioxide (Ag/AgCl–pTiO₂) have been successfully prepared via the solvent-free sol–gel process, and their role as visible-light-responsive photocatalysts was investigated. The crystal phase, morphology, and chemical states of the resultant doped TiO₂ were characterized. Compared to pure TiO₂, the prepared TiO₂ exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance for dye degradation under light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation (405 nm) and showed different photocatalytic activities. It was experimentally determined that the photocatalytic activity under violet LED irradiation was strongly dependent on the changes of Ti³⁺ defect and the formation AgCl crystal structures that were simultaneously triggered by LED irradiation.