AUTHOR=Joseph Collin G. , Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin , Musta Baba , Sarjadi Mohd Sani , Elilarasi L. 

TITLE=Application of Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles in TiO2-SiO2 Composite as an Efficient Solar-Activated Photocatalyst: A Review Paper

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2020.568063

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2020.568063

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>Over the last decade, interest in the utilization of solar energy for photocatalysis treatment processes has taken centre-stage. Researchers had focused on doping TiO<sub>2</sub> with SiO<sub>2</sub> to obtain an efficient degradation rate of various types of target pollutants both under UV and visible-light irradiation. In order to further improve this degradation effect, some researchers resorted to incorporate plasmonic metal nanoparticles such as silver and gold into the combined TiO<sub>2</sub>-SiO<sub>2</sub> to fully optimize the TiO<sub>2</sub>-SiO<sub>2</sub>’s potential in the visible-light region. This article focuses on the challenges in utilizing TiO<sub>2</sub> in the visible-light region, the contribution of SiO<sub>2</sub> in enhancing photocatalytic activities of the TiO<sub>2</sub>-SiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst, and the ability of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (Ag and Au) to edge the TiO<sub>2</sub>-SiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst toward an efficient solar photocatalyst.</p>