Electric field enhanced photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanoparticles immobilized in porous silicon template

The paper emphasizes the effect of electric field on photocatalytic efficiency of nanoparticles of TiO2 (nano TiO2). The effect was observed by applying electric field to nano TiO2 during the photocatalytic degradation process of methylene blue. Porous silicon was used as a template to immobilize the nano TiO2 and to facilitate the application of electric field. Nano TiO2, having an average particle size of 15 nm, was synthesized by thermal plasma assisted gas phase condensation. A critically selected negative bias potential, applied on the catalyst with reference to the solution, is shown to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency by 18%. The observed effect is explained on the basis of band movements at the TiO2/solution interface. Band movement influences the oxidation and reduction reactions at the interface and thus controls the photocatalytic degradation.

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► DC indirect Arc Thermal Plasma assisted synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles.
► Electrophoretic deposition of TiO2 nanoparticles in Porous Silicon.
► Optimization of deposition parameters.
► Field assisted photocatalytic degradation study of Methylene Blue by TiO2.
► Explanation of degradation mechanism on the basis of Band movements.