Synergistic effect of interfacial lattice Ag(+) and Ag(0) clusters in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of TiO2.

An interfacial lattice Ag(+) doped on TiO2 (Ag(+)/TiO2) was prepared by eluting Ag(0) clusters from a hydrothermally prepared Ag(0)/Ag(+)/TiO2 composite. An Ag(+)/TiO2@Ag(0) composite photocatalyst was subsequently obtained via a secondary Ag(0) clusters loading process to the Ag(+)/TiO2. The photocatalytic activity of Ag(+)/TiO2@Ag(0) was greatly improved compared to Ag(0)/Ag(+)/TiO2 and Ag(+)/TiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) testing verified that Ag(+) ions occur as an interfacial lattice Ag(+) species in the composites. The enhancement effect of the interfacial lattice Ag(+) species is exhibited by the newly-formed Ag(+)/TiO2@Ag(0) as the interfacial lattice Ag(+) is fully exposed but not overlapped with the re-loaded Ag(0) clusters. The interfacial lattice Ag(+) ions and Ag(0) clusters are both responsible for the photocatalytic performance improvement of the catalyst, in either the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange or photocurrent measurement.