A Convenient Method to Prepare Ag Deposited N-TiO2 Composite Nanoparticles via NH3 Plasma Treatment

Ag deposited N-TiO2 composite nanoparticles were prepared via NH3 plasma treatment. X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the prepared TiO2 samples. The plasma treatment did not change the phase composition and particle sizes of TiO2 samples, but extended its absorption edges to the visible light region. The photocatalytic activities were tested in the degradation of an aqueous solution of a reactive dyestuff, methylene blue, under visible light. The photocatalytic activities of Ag deposited N-TiO2 composite nanoparticles were much higher than Ag-TiO2, N-TiO2, and P25. A possible mechanism for the photocatalysis was proposed