TiO2 Surface Hybridisation with Ag and CuO for Solar-Assisted Environmental Remediation and Sustainable Energy Applications

Industrialisation has led to unprecedented levels of outdoor air pollution, posing a significant health risk to human beings. Consequently, there is an urgent need to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources, thereby mitigating these risks and providing a safer outdoor and indoor environment. Titanium dioxide is a versatile transition metal oxide with applications ranging from energy conversion to environmental remediation. However, it faces limitations, particularly in its absorption spectrum and charge separation efficiency, and enhancing these properties remains a significant challenge. In this research work, we have decorated the surface of TiO2 hybridising it with noble-metal and/or noble-metal oxides (Ag and/or CuxO) to improve the photocatalytic performances (monitoring the removal of nitrogen oxides and benzene, and hydrogen generation from water splitting) under simulated solar-light irradiation. Our results showed that titania modified with an Ag:Cu molar ratio equal to 1:1, not only exhibited the most promising performance in terms of nitrogen oxides and benzene removal, it was the optimum amount for the light-induced generation of hydrogen from water splitting.