Silver- and copper-modified decahedral anatase titania particles as visible light-responsive plasmonic photocatalyst

Decahedral anatase particles (DAPs) with eight equivalent (101) facets and two (001) facets were prepared by the gas-phase process. Monometallic and bimetallic photocatalysts were prepared by photodeposition of silver and copper on DAP. It was found that the method of metal deposition (sequential/simultaneous) is crucial for resultant properties and thus for photocatalytic performance. The fastest hydrogen evolution during metal deposition was observed for copper deposited on premodified DAP with silver (DAP/Ag/Cu), probably due to partial coverage of silver with fine clusters of Cu and thus facilitation of proton adsorption and reduction on well-dispersed Cu nanoclusters. Although DAP/Ag/Cu exhibited the fastest rate of hydrogen evolution, single-modified DAP with silver exhibited the best performance for oxidative decomposition of organic compounds under vis irradiation.