Visible light photo-and bioactivity of Ag/TiO₂ nanocomposite with various silver contents

• Published in: Current applied physics Vol. 11; no. 4; pp. 1048 - 1055
• Main Authors: Ashkarran, Ali Akbar, Aghigh, Seyed Mahyad, kavianipour, Mona, Farahani, Neda Jalali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2011
• Subjects: absorption; antibacterial properties; Bacteria; Escherichia coli; Inactivation; irradiation; nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Photocatalysis; photolysis; physics; pollutants; Silver; spectroscopy; Titanium dioxide; transmission electron microscopes; transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1567-1739; 1878-1675
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cap.2011.01.042

Ag/TiO₂ nanocomposite with various silver contents was synthesized by combination of sol-gel and the novel arc discharge methods in liquid. The Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and ultra violet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The visible light antibacterial activities and photocatalytic properties were successfully demonstrated for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E-coli) bacteria and Rhodamine B (Rh. B). The results revealed that the Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles extended the light absorption spectrum toward the visible region and significantly enhanced the inactivation of E-coli bacteria under visible light irradiation. 0.15 gr Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles revealed best antibacterial activity while 0.05 gr Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles exhibited highest photocatalytic efficiency. The significant enhancement in the photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties of Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles under visible light irradiation can be ascribed to the effect of noble metal Ag by acting as electron traps in TiO₂ band gap. A mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and antibacterial activity over Ag/TiO₂ nanoparticles was proposed based on our observations.