Application of plasmonic metal nanoparticles in TiO2-SiO2 composite as an efficient solar-activated photocatalyst: A review paper

• Main Authors: Joseph, Collin G., Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin, Musta, Baba, Sarjadi, Mohd Sani, Elilarasi, L.
• Format: Article
• Published: Frontiers Media 2021
• Subjects: QD Chemistry
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/26843/; https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2020.568063

Over the last decade, interest in the utilization of solar energy for photocatalysis treatment processes has taken centre-stage. Researchers had focused on doping TiO2 with SiO2 to obtain an efficient degradation rate of various types of target pollutants both under UV and visible-light irradiation. In order to further improve this degradation effect, some researchers resorted to incorporate plasmonic metal nanoparticles such as silver and gold into the combined TiO2-SiO2 to fully optimize the TiO2-SiO2's potential in the visible-light region. This article focuses on the challenges in utilizing TiO2 in the visible-light region, the contribution of SiO2 in enhancing photocatalytic activities of the TiO2-SiO2 photocatalyst, and the ability of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (Ag and Au) to edge the TiO2-SiO2 photocatalyst toward an efficient solar photocatalyst.