Bioinspired Au/N-TiO₂ photocatalyst templated from Zea mays Linn. leaves

The leaves of Zea mays Linn. contain abundant nitrogen source and exhibit an extremely high light-harvesting efficiency due to its hierarchical internal structures. In this study, Z. mays Linn. leaves are used as template to generate Au/N-TiO₂ nanocomposites through soakage, calcination and Au-nanoparticle-loading processes. Such nanocomposites replicate the special hierarchical structures of Z. mays Linn. leaves featured with lamellar structures at nanoscale, porous framework at microscale and scraggy-shaped epidermal at macroscale. The nitrogen contained in original leaves is doped into anatase TiO₂ crystal lattice during the templating process, and Au nanoparticles (~5-nm dia.) are well dispersed at the surface of N-TiO₂ structures. With multi-component composition and unique hierarchical structure, the Au/N-TiO₂ nanocomposites present superior photocatalytic activity and stability, which are demonstrated through degradation of rhodamine dye under solar light irradiation. This article contains supporting information, which will be made available online once the issue is published. In the meantime, if you wish to get a copy of the supplementary file please contact the Managing Editor, Sohini Banerjee, at sohini.banerjee@icepublishing.com