EFFECT OF Ag NANOPARTICLE ON THE PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF TIO2 NANOTUBES

Abstract

The TiO 2 nanotubes were fabricated by the hydrothermal method. Then, Ag nanoparticles with the varying ratio were attached on the TiO 2 nanotubes by photoreduction. The characteristics of structure, morphology, chemical composition and of TiO 2 nanotubes modified Ag (Ag-TNTs) was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and the absorption spectral of Methylene blue (MB) solution. The results showed that Ag-TNTs have fairly uniform length with Ag particles immobilized on the tube. The photocatalysis TiO 2 nanotubes (TNTs) is higher than Ag-TNTs in UV range and lower than AgTNTs in the visible light. And the photocatalytic activity of Ag-TNTs with 5 wt.% Ag is highest in the visible range.