Gold nanoparticles loaded on TiO2 nanoparticles doped with N2 as an efficient electrocatalyst for glucose oxidation: preparation, characterization, and electrocatalytic properties
Yasmin M.S. Jamil, Mohammed Ahmed Hussein Awad, Hussein M. A. Al-Maydama, Ahmed N. Al‐Hakimi, Mohamad M.E. Shakdofa, Samir Osman Mohammed
Abstract
Abstract A powder of titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) was synthesized in this study by anodizing in 0.7 M HClO 4 and then annealing in N 2 at 450 °C for 3 h to produce TiO 2 NPs-N 2 powder as a catalyst. These TiO 2 NPs-N 2 nanoparticles were then encrusted with Au nanoparticles utilizing the photodeposition procedure with tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl 4 ) and isopropanol as sacrificial donors. With a surface area of 121 m 2 g −1 , the Au NPs/TiO 2 NPs-N 2 powder catalyst has a high surface area, according to the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda technique. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, TiO 2 NPs-N 2 contained uniformly integrated Au nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 26.8 nm. The XRD patterns showed that the prepared Au NPs/TiO 2 NPs-N 2 were crystallites and nano-sized. The transmission electron microscopy image revealed the spherical shape of the nanoparticles and their tendency for agglomeration. Utilizing the cyclic voltammetry, the electrochemical properties of the catalyst TiO 2 NPs powders in a basic glucose solution were investigated. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the loaded Au NPs/TiO 2 NPs-N 2 powder on the working electrode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose were astonishingly high. The Au NPs/TiO 2 NPs-N 2 catalyst demonstrated electrocatalytic characteristics that were superior to a commercially available polycrystalline gold electrode in the application involving glucose alkaline fuel cells.