LOADING EFFECT OF Ag NANOPARTICLES ON PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF TiO2 NANOROD ARRAYS PREPARED BY HYDROTHERMAL METHOD

Rutile-TiO2 nanorod thin films were formed on Ti disks via alkali treatment in NaOH solutions followed by heat treatment at 700 degrees C. Ag nanoparticles were loaded on nanorods using a photo-reduction method to improve the photocatalytic properties of the prepared specimen. The surface characterization and the photo-electrochemical properties of the Ag-loaded TiO2 nanorods were investigated using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The TiO2 nanorods obtained after the heat treatment were 80 to 180 nm thick and 1 mu m long. The thickness of the nanorods increased with the NaOH concentration. The UV-Vis spectra exhibit a shift in the absorption edge of the Ag-loaded TiO2 to the visible light range and further narrowing of the bandgap. The decrease in the size of the capacitive loops in the EIS spectra showed that the Ag loading effectively improved the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanorods.