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One-step preparation of nitrogen doped titanium oxide/Au/reduced graphene oxide composite thin films for photocatalytic applications

Abstract:

Titanium dioxide (TiO<inf>2</inf>) and TiO<inf>2</inf>/Au/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite thin films were grown by ultraviolet matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (UV-MAPLE) in controlled O<inf>2</inf> or N<inf>2</inf> atmospheres. An UV KrF∗ excimer laser (λ = 248 nm, τ<inf>FWHM</inf> ∼ 25 ns, ν = 10 Hz) was used for the irradiation of the MAPLE targets consisting of TiO<inf>2</inf> nanoparticles (NPs) or mixtures of TiO<inf>2</inf> NPs, Au NPs, and graphene oxide (GO) platelets in aqueous solutions. The effect of Au and GO addition as well as nitrogen doping on the photocatalytic activity of the TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films was investigated. The evaluation of the photocatalytic activity was performed by photodegradation of the organic methylene blue model dye pollutant under UV-visible light, "simulated sun" irradiation conditions. Our results show that the photocatalytic properties of TiO<inf>2</inf> were significantly improved by the addition of Au NPs and rGO platelets. Nitrogen inclusion into the rGO structure further contributes to the enhancement of the TiO<inf>2</inf>/Au/rGO nanocomposites photocatalytic activity.