One-step and self-assembly based fabrication of pt/TiO2 nanohybrid photocatalysts with programmed nanopatterns

Abstract

Hybrid Pt/TiO2 nanostructures with diverse morphologies from nanodot, nanowire to mesoporous structures were obtained by a one-step synthesis based on block copolymer self-assembly. The structural transformation was easily tuned by controlling the relative amount of TiO2 sol-gel precursor to poly(styrene-block-ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (PS-b-PEO). These Pt/TiO2 nanocomposites were utilized as photocatalysts with enhanced activity via synergistic coupling. Key parameters including the amount of TiO2, types of morphology of photocatalysts, and the platinization of TiO2 discussed in this study affected photocatalytic performance given that the hybrids were well-dispersed in nanopatterned configurations. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.