TiO2 nanorods loaded with AuPt alloy nanoparticles for the photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol

In this study, homogeneous alloy Au Pt nanoparticles were successfully immobilized on ultrathin TiO 2 nanorods via a facile photodeposition technique. The Au Pt/TiO 2 hybrid exhibited high photocatalytic activity and stability during the selective photosynthesis of benzaldehyde from benzyl alcohol under visible light . The optimal performance was obtained with the Au 1 Pt 1 /TiO 2 sample, which had a benzyl alcohol conversion rate of 65.3%. The engineered TiO 2 nanorods (304 m 2 /g) can be employed as a stabilizing matrix and an excellent dispersant for noble metal particles. Moreover, the formation of the alloy structure substantially enhances the photoinduced carrier separation efficiency compared with loading Au or Pt alone on TiO 2 . The bimetallic nanoparticles exhibited the properties related to the individual metals, as well as new properties due to synergistic effects of the electron-accumulating function of Pt and the surface plasmon resonance of Au.