Palladium oxide nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped titanium oxide: Accelerated photocatalytic disinfection and post-illumination catalytic "Memory"

A visible light photocatalyst based on palladium oxide nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogen-doped n-TiO₂ was reported. The strong anti-microbial effects of TiON/PdO photocatalyst under visible light illumination and their post-illumination activity provided various opportunities such as continuous solar-powered disinfection during daytime and at night, for a wide range of environmental applications. TiON/PdO photocatalytic fibers were synthesized by a sol-gel process. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP), tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMA), and palladium acetyacetonate (Pd(acac) ₂) were used as precursors to provide titanium, nitrogen, and palladium sources. The resulting combination of photocatalytic and post-illumination catalytic properties of these materials made them best suited for solar-based systems.