Abstract
Semiconductor nano photocatalysis has considered a promising methodology for polluted water remediation. The electrons and holes' high recombination rate and low reaction rate have obstructed their large-scale applications. Thus, heterogeneous nano photocatalysts are needed for promoting their practical applications. Herein, anatase nanoparticles (ANPs) are synthesized and heat-treated within two-time intervals of 1 h and 2 h at 300 degrees C by sol-gel method and doped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at room temperature (29 degrees C) owing to photocatalytic application. Vapor pressure scanning electron microscopy (VPSEM) shows the porous and granular localized homogeneous surface of Au-ANPs before and after heat treatment. The average nanoparticles diameter is calculated as 4.7 nm and after 2 h heat treatment it increased up to 4.9 nm. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method show that the Au-ANPs possessed low average surface roughness (Ra) similar to 3 nm, large surface area (SA) similar to 288 m(2)/g, and pore size distribution (PSD) 1.81 nm, respectively. Whereas Au-ANPs/2 h revealed Ra around 5 nm, SA similar to 145 m(2)/g, and PSD similar to 2.37 nm. All three nano photocatalysts exhibited thermal stability at <= 400 degrees C by thermogravimetric analysis. The Au-ANPs/2 h exhibited high photocatalytic activity with degradation of PR dye of 94% (k = 0.01 min(-1), under ultraviolet radiation) after 280 min of reaction.
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