Fast Microwave Synthesis of Gold-Doped TiO2 Assisted by Modified Cyclodextrins for Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye and Hydrogen Production

Abstract

A convenient and fast microwave synthesis of gold-doped titanium dioxide materials was developed with the aid of commercially available and common cyclodextrin derivatives, acting both as reducing and stabilizing agents. Anatase titanium oxide was synthesized from titanium chloride by microwave heating without calcination. Then, the resulting titanium oxide was decorated by gold nanoparticles thanks to a microwave-assisted reduction of HAuCl4 by cyclodextrin in alkaline conditions. The materials were fully characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, while the metal content was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The efficiency of the TiO2@Au materials was evaluated with respect to two different photocatalytic reactions, such as dye degradation and hydrogen evolution from water.