title: Gold nanoparticles located at the interface of anatase/rutile TiO2 particles as active plasmonic photocatalysts for aerobic oxidation.
abstract: Visible-light irradiation (λ > 450 nm) of gold nanoparticles loaded on a mixture of anatase/rutile TiO(2) particles (Degussa, P25) promotes efficient aerobic oxidation at room temperature. The photocatalytic activity critically depends on the catalyst architecture: Au particles with <5 nm diameter located at the interface of anatase/rutile TiO(2) particles behave as the active sites for reaction. This photocatalysis is promoted via plasmon activation of the Au particles by visible light followed by consecutive electron transfer in the Au/rutile/anatase contact site. The activated Au particles transfer their conduction electrons to rutile and then to adjacent anatase TiO(2). This catalyzes the oxidation of substrates by the positively charged Au particles along with reduction of O(2) by the conduction band electrons on the surface of anatase TiO(2). This plasmonic photocatalysis is successfully promoted by sunlight exposure and enables efficient and selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols at ambient temperature.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Solar Energy Chemistry and Division of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-8531, Japan.
authors.forename: Daijiro
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Yoshitsune
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugano
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirai
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry; D001665:Binding Sites; D002384:Catalysis; D004583:Electrons; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006046:Gold; D014025:Titanium; D010100:Oxygen