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Photoinduced deposition of gold nanoparticles on TiO2–WO3 nanotube films as efficient photoanodes for solar water splitting

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Abstract

Gold-modified TiO2–WO3 nanotubes with different amounts of gold were obtained by two methods; photoassisted deposition and one-step electrochemical anodizing method. The morphology, crystallinity and elemental composition were studied by FE-SEM, XRD and EDX. The photoelectrochemical performance was examined under Xe light illumination in 1 M NaOH electrolyte. Characterization of the as-prepared TiO2–WO3 samples indicated that sodium tungstate concentration in anodizing solution significantly influenced the morphology and photoelectrochemical activity of fabricated films. Also, photoelectrochemical characterizations show that the photocatalytic activity of Au/TiO2–WO3 nanotubes was improved as compared with that of bare TiO2–WO3 nanotubes. The experimental results showed that the photocatalytic activities of Au/TiO2–WO3 were significantly affected by the amount of Au nanoparticles. The amount of gold nanoparticles was effectively controlled by time of photoreduction of the chloroauric acid solution. These new photoanodes showed enhanced high photocurrent density with good stability and are a highly promising photoanodes for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran

    Mohamad Mohsen Momeni & Yousef Ghayeb

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  1. Mohamad Mohsen Momeni
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  2. Yousef Ghayeb
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Correspondence to Mohamad Mohsen Momeni.

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Momeni, M.M., Ghayeb, Y. Photoinduced deposition of gold nanoparticles on TiO2–WO3 nanotube films as efficient photoanodes for solar water splitting. Appl. Phys. A 122, 620 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-016-0145-1

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