The preparation and photocatalytic activity of Au/TiO2

The Au/TiO2 photocatalysts with different Au loadings were prepared by the modified iso-volume impregnation and photochemical deposition methods respectively. The effect of Au loading, pretreatment condition and preparation method on photocatalytic activity was investigated using degradation of methyl orange as the model reaction. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was used to determine the optical characteristics of Au/TiO2. The results showed that a suitable Au loading could greatly enhance the TiO 2 photocatalytic activity. The 0.8% Au/TiO2 prepared by the modified iso-volume impregnation showed the best activity. The DRS results indicated that gold deposition had no effect on the optical characteristics of the catalyst in the UV and Vis region.