title: A review on catalytic applications of Au/TiO2 nanoparticles in the removal of water pollutant.
abstract: Nanomaterials are showing great potential for the improvement of water treatment technologies. In recent years, catalysis and photocatalysis processes using gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have received great attention due to their effectiveness in degrading and mineralizing organic compounds. This paper aims to review and summarize the recently published works and R & D progress in the field of photocatalytic oxidation of various water pollutants such as toxic organic compounds (i.e. azo dyes and phenols) by Au-NPs/TiO2 under solar, visible and UV irradiation. Extensive research which has focused on the enhancement of photocatalysis by modification of TiO2 employing Au-NPs is also reviewed. Moreover, the effects of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic activity of these catalysts, such as size and loading amount of Au-NPs, pH and calcination, are discussed. The support type, loading amount and particle size of deposited Au-NPs are the most important parameters for Au/TiO2 catalytic activity. Our study showed in particular that the modification of TiO2, including semiconductor coupling, can increase the photoactivity of Au/TiO2. In contrast, doping large gold NPs can mask or block the TiO2 active sites, reducing photocatalytic activity. The optimized loading amount of Au-NP varied for each experimental condition. Finally, research trends and prospects for the future are briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Jääkärinkatu 31, FI-50100 Mikkeli, Finland. Electronic address: ayati_a_ali@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayati
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmadpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Bamoharram
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Jääkärinkatu 31, FI-50100 Mikkeli, Finland.
authors.forename: Bahareh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tanhaei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Separation Technology, Department of Chemical Technology, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, FI-53850 Lappeenranta, Finland.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mänttäri
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Jääkärinkatu 31, FI-50100 Mikkeli, Finland.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sillanpää
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006046:Gold; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Gold nanoparticles; Photocatalysis; Pollutant; Support; TiO(2); Water treatment