Photocatalytic performance of silver-modified TiO2 embedded in poly(ethyl-acrylate-co-methyl metacrylate) matrix

The plasmonic Ag-TiO2 (with 0.5 wt% Ag) photocatalyst was prepared on P25 TiO2 surface. The presence of AgNPs on the titania was indicated by the UV-vis spectrum, which showed a plasmonic absorbance band in the visible range (lambda (max) = 455 nm). XPS measurements suggested that Ag was in metallic (Ag) and in oxide forms on TiO2. Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst and TiO2 were embedded in [poly(ethyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate; p(EA-co-MMA)] copolymer to attain mechanically stable, photocatalytically active nanocomposite films. The photooxidation of ethanol was slower on the photocatalyst/polymer nanocomposites, but it could be significantly improved by irradiating them with UV light. The photoaging was applied as a post-preparation treatment to improve the photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite films. Changed surface morphology and the partial destruction of the polymer were supported by AFM and FTIR results. Contact angle measurements were used to determine the surface free energies of the prepared and the photoaged nanocomposite films.