Studies of the location of precious metals in nanocrystalline titanium dioxide using XRD and XANES

Abstract

Abstract Au, Ag, Pt and Pd doped TiO 2 nanocrystals were prepared using sol‐gel routes. X‐ray Near Edge Structure (XANES) was used to study the location of these precious metal dopants in nanocrystalline TiO 2 . The effects of these dopants on the phase transformation and grain growth were investigated using X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Two dopant concentrations i.e. 1 and 5% were studied and similar results were found. Silver and Palladium initially form oxides but annealing at high temperatures converts them to metals. Gold and and silver do not affect the anatase ‐ rutile transformation temperature whereas palladium and platinum do. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)