Integration of plasmonic Au nanoparticles in TiO2 hierarchical structures in a single-step pulsed laser co-deposition

Year: 2018

Authors: Bricchi B.R., Ghidelli M., Mascaretti L., Zapelli A., Russo V., Casari C.S., Terraneo G., Alessandri I., Ducati C., Li Bassi A.

Autors Affiliation: Micro- and Nanostructured Materials Laboratory, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, via Ponzio 34/3, Milano, 20133, Italy;
Center for Nanoscience and Technology – IIT@Polimi, via Giovanni Pascoli 70/3, Milano, 20133, Italy;
Laboratory of Supramolecular and Bio-Nanomaterials, Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via L. Mancinelli 7, Milano, 20133, Italy;
Department of Information Engineering, Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, University of Brescia and INSTM UdR Brescia, Via Branze 38, Brescia, 25123, Italy; INO-CNR Brescia Unit, via Branze 45, Brescia, 25123, Italy;
Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, United Kingdom

Abstract: The plasmonic resonance of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) can be exploited to enhance the photoresponse of wide band gap oxides in view of several solar energy applications. Here, we demonstrate single-step synthesis of plasmonic Au nanoparticles integrated in TiO2 hierarchical nanoporous layers through a vapor phase pulsed laser co-deposition approach. Specifically, we report the fabrication and characterization of Au NPs-decorated TiO2 forest-like systems with tunable porosity and density as well as the morphological/structural evolution as a function of Au content and we discuss the corresponding optical properties. The effect of post-deposition thermal treatment has been investigated as well in order to control TiO2 crystallization and Au NPs nucleation and growth. Optical analyses show the onset of characteristic plasmonic resonance of Au NPs with the increase of film absorption in the visible range. Preliminary tests of photodegradation of methyl orange dye indicate that the integration of Au NPs leads to a significant increase of the catalytic activity of nanoporous TiO2. Our results suggest the potentiality of this approach for the synthesis and the integration of metallic NPs within wide band gap semiconductors, while paving the way toward novel plasmonic-based devices.

Journal/Review: MATERIALS AND DESIGN

Volume: 156      Pages from: 311  to: 319

More Information: M. G. acknowledges the financial support of the Polimi International Fellowship (PIF). I. A. acknowledges the support of INSTM and Regione Lombardia in the framework of the project: Microsfere adattative per il monitoraggio e l’abbattimento di inquinanti persistenti-MI ADATTI E L’ABBATTI-INSTM_RL6. The authors thank the FARB project of the Dept. of Energy, Politecnico di Milano for financial support.
KeyWords: Au nanoparticles; Nanostructured TiO2 films; Plasmonics; Pulsed Laser Deposition; Photocatalytic application

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.06.051

Citations: 35
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