Ultrathin Au nanowires supported on rGO/TiO2 as an efficient photoelectrocatalyst

Leelavathi, A and Madras, Giridhar and Ravishankar, N (2015) Ultrathin Au nanowires supported on rGO/TiO2 as an efficient photoelectrocatalyst. In: JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, 3 (33). pp. 17459-17468.

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Abstract

We report the synthesis of stable rGO/TiO2/Au nanowire hybrids showing excellent electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. Phase-pure anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (similar to 3 nm) were grown on GO sheets followed by the growth of ultrathin Au nanowires leading to the formation of a multidimensional ternary structure (0-D TiO2 and 1-D Au on 2-D graphene oxide). The oleylamine used for the synthesis of the Au nanowires not only leads to stable Au nanowires anchored on the GO sheets but also leads to the functionalization and room temperature reduction of GO. Using control experiments, we delineate the role of the three components in the hybrid and show that there is a significant synergy. We show that the catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation primarily stems from the Au nanowires. While TiO2 triggers the formation of oxygenated species on the Au nanowire surface at a lower potential and also imparts photoactivity, rGO provides a conducting support to minimize the charge transfer resistance in addition to stabilizing the Au nanowires. Compared with nanoparticle hybrids, the nanowire hybrids display a much better electrocatalytic performance. In addition to high efficiency, the nanowire hybrids also show a remarkable tolerance towards H2O2. While our study has a direct bearing on fuel cell technology, the insights gained are sufficiently general such that they provide guiding principles for the development of multifunctional ternary hybrids.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
Publisher:	ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Chemical Engineering Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy) Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	11 Sep 2015 05:17
Last Modified:	11 Sep 2015 05:17
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/52342

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