title: Rational design of Ag/TiO2 nanosystems by a combined RF-sputtering/sol-gel approach.
abstract: The present work is devoted to the preparation of Ag/TiO(2) nanosystems by an original synthetic strategy, based on the radio-frequency (RF) sputtering of silver particles on titania-based xerogels prepared by the sol-gel (SG) route. This approach takes advantage of the synergy between the microporous xerogel structure and the infiltration power characterizing RF-sputtering, whose combination enables the obtainment of a tailored dispersion of Ag-containing particles into the titania matrix. In addition, the system's chemico-physical features can be tuned further through proper ex situ thermal treatments in air at 400 and 600 degrees C. The synthesized composites are extensively characterized by the joint use of complementary techniques, that is, X-ray photoelectron and X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopies (XPS, XE-AES), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED), high-angle annular dark field scanning TEM (HAADF-STEM), energy-filtered TEM (EF-TEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy. Finally, the photocatalytic performances of selected samples in the decomposition of the azo-dye Plasmocorinth B are preliminarily investigated. The obtained results highlight the possibility of tailoring the system characteristics over a broad range, directly influencing their eventual functional properties.
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISTM and INSTM, Department of Chemistry, Padova University, Via Marzolo, 1-35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Armelao
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barreca
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bottaro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasparotto
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maccato
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tondello
authors.forename: Oleg I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Lebedev
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Gustaaf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Tendeloo
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sada
authors.forename: Urska Lavrencic
authors.initials: UL
authors.lastname: Stangar