Photodeposition of Pt and Au onto TiO₂

The titanium dioxide nanoparticles grown at the steps of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite contain round and rod shapes.

The semiconductor posseses a wide band gap that depends on crystal phase and size. By absorbing ultraviolet at wavelengths with an energy larger than the band gap, photogenerated electrons and holes may trap at the surface and partake in redox reactions.

Among the myriad of reaction involving titanium dioxide include the reduction and deposition of noble metals such platinum. The selective deposition of platinum onto the titanium dioxide nanoparticles versus randomly on the surface of the sample supports the photoreduction mechanism. This process demonstrates a potential method of incorporating mesoporous titanium dioxide with metal nanoparticles for fundamental studies and applications involving heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis.

Platinum, gold, and to a minimal extent silver, nanoparticles were grown separately onto titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Photodeposition of Ag or Pt onto TiO₂ Nanoparticles Decorated on Step Edges of HOPG
J. Taing, M.H. Cheng, J.C. Hemminger
ACS Nano 2011, 5(9), 6325-6333.
10.1021/nn201396v

Narrowing of Band Gap in Thin Films and Linear Arrays of Ordered TiO₂ Nanoparticles
Y. Liu, J. Taing, C.-C. Chen, A.P. Sorini, M.H. Cheng, A.M. Margarella, H. Bluhm, Z. Liu, T.P. Devereaux, J.C. Hemminger
In Preperation

Photodeposition of Au at TiO₂ Nanoparticles Decorated on Steps of Graphite
J. Taing, A.M. Margarella, Y. Liu, J.C. Hemminger
In Preperation

Electronic Structures of TiO₂ Nanoparticles Functionalized with Pt Photodeposition
Y. Liu, J. Taing, C.-C. Chen, A.P. Sorini, M.H. Cheng, A.M. Margarella, H. Bluhm, Z. Liu, T.P. Devereaux, J.C. Hemminger
In Preperation