Photocatalytic properties of nanosilver-doped TiO2 powders

Abstract

The article presents the impact of adding nanocolloidal silver to titanium dioxide (TiO₂) on the photocatalytic properties of the resulting mixture. Titanium dioxide layers, being the mixture of rutile and anatase, were obtained using the sol-gel method. The sol-gel method employed is relatively simple and inexpensive. What is more, it enables to modify properties and phase composition of the material obtained. The photocatalytic properties of the obtained samples were tested by measuring the absorbance of active substance solutions in the form of Methyl Orange (MO) and a steroid hormone, i.e. β-estradiol. It was proved TiO₂ powders with colloidal silver admixture had a higher catalytic efficiency.