Using electrical arc discharge method to prepare Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles and study its photocatalytic activity

Abstract

A simple, inexpensive and one-step synthesis route of Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticles by arc discharge method has been reported. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrate dominance of rutile to anatase phase in TiO₂ and formation of silver metal onTiO₂ after arc discharge process. Scanning electron microscopy images exhibit the increase of reduced nanoparticles in 5 min arc duration as compared with 1 min arc duration. Photodegradation of methyl orange as a standard pollutant shows that the presence of silver in TiO₂ was found to enhance the photocatalytic activity. The high activity of silver doped TiO₂ is due to the enhancement of electron-hole separation by the electron trapping of silver particles.