Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation

Formaldehyde, a pervasive indoor air pollutant posing significant health risks, has driven extensive research into advanced mitigation strategies to ensure safer living environments. Herein, this study presents a synthesis method for the large-scale production of hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub...

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Main Authors: Hairui Cai, Benjamin Yang, Jie Hou, Ziqi Wang, Zhuo Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/9/683
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author Hairui Cai
Benjamin Yang
Jie Hou
Ziqi Wang
Zhuo Li
author_facet Hairui Cai
Benjamin Yang
Jie Hou
Ziqi Wang
Zhuo Li
author_sort Hairui Cai
collection DOAJ
description Formaldehyde, a pervasive indoor air pollutant posing significant health risks, has driven extensive research into advanced mitigation strategies to ensure safer living environments. Herein, this study presents a synthesis method for the large-scale production of hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> (P25) loaded with PtAu nanoalloys (P25(H)-PtAu), using a combination of ball milling and high-temperature annealing. Hydrogenation-induced defect-rich TiO<sub>2</sub> efficiently improves visible light absorption, enhancing the utilization of visible light in photocatalytic reactions. Mechanochemical ball milling was employed to prepare ultrasmall PtAu nanoalloys with a size of 3.7 ± 0.1 nm, which were uniformly dispersed on the surface of P25(H). Density functional theory (DFT) results indicate that PtAu nanoalloys synergistically enhance charge separation via Schottky junctions and surface reaction kinetics by optimizing reactant adsorption. As a result, P25(H)-PtAu achieves industrially relevant formaldehyde removal efficiency (97.8%) under ambient light conditions while maintaining scalability (10 g batches). This work provides a scalable framework for developing manufacturable photocatalysts, with immediate applications in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and air purifiers.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2079-4991
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spelling doaj-art-4ac0ff33b43b487cabfb246fcedc95262025-08-20T03:49:22ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-04-0115968310.3390/nano15090683Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde PhotodegradationHairui Cai0Benjamin Yang1Jie Hou2Ziqi Wang3Zhuo Li4MOE Key Laboratory for Non-Equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Advanced Materials and Mesoscopic Physics, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 28 West Xianning Road, Xi’an 710049, ChinaShanghai American School Pudong Campus, No. 1600 Lingbai Highway, Shanghai 201201, ChinaMOE Key Laboratory for Non-Equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Advanced Materials and Mesoscopic Physics, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 28 West Xianning Road, Xi’an 710049, ChinaMOE Key Laboratory for Non-Equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, Key Laboratory of Shaanxi for Advanced Materials and Mesoscopic Physics, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 28 West Xianning Road, Xi’an 710049, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 28 West Xianning Road, Xi’an 710049, ChinaFormaldehyde, a pervasive indoor air pollutant posing significant health risks, has driven extensive research into advanced mitigation strategies to ensure safer living environments. Herein, this study presents a synthesis method for the large-scale production of hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> (P25) loaded with PtAu nanoalloys (P25(H)-PtAu), using a combination of ball milling and high-temperature annealing. Hydrogenation-induced defect-rich TiO<sub>2</sub> efficiently improves visible light absorption, enhancing the utilization of visible light in photocatalytic reactions. Mechanochemical ball milling was employed to prepare ultrasmall PtAu nanoalloys with a size of 3.7 ± 0.1 nm, which were uniformly dispersed on the surface of P25(H). Density functional theory (DFT) results indicate that PtAu nanoalloys synergistically enhance charge separation via Schottky junctions and surface reaction kinetics by optimizing reactant adsorption. As a result, P25(H)-PtAu achieves industrially relevant formaldehyde removal efficiency (97.8%) under ambient light conditions while maintaining scalability (10 g batches). This work provides a scalable framework for developing manufacturable photocatalysts, with immediate applications in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and air purifiers.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/9/683formaldehydehydrogenated P25photocatalystPtAu nanoalloys
spellingShingle Hairui Cai
Benjamin Yang
Jie Hou
Ziqi Wang
Zhuo Li
Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
Nanomaterials
formaldehyde
hydrogenated P25
photocatalyst
PtAu nanoalloys
title Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
title_full Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
title_fullStr Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
title_full_unstemmed Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
title_short Scalable Synthesis of PtAu Nanoalloy-Decorated Hydrogenated TiO<sub>2</sub> for High-Efficiency Indoor Formaldehyde Photodegradation
title_sort scalable synthesis of ptau nanoalloy decorated hydrogenated tio sub 2 sub for high efficiency indoor formaldehyde photodegradation
topic formaldehyde
hydrogenated P25
photocatalyst
PtAu nanoalloys
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/9/683
work_keys_str_mv AT hairuicai scalablesynthesisofptaunanoalloydecoratedhydrogenatedtiosub2subforhighefficiencyindoorformaldehydephotodegradation
AT benjaminyang scalablesynthesisofptaunanoalloydecoratedhydrogenatedtiosub2subforhighefficiencyindoorformaldehydephotodegradation
AT jiehou scalablesynthesisofptaunanoalloydecoratedhydrogenatedtiosub2subforhighefficiencyindoorformaldehydephotodegradation
AT ziqiwang scalablesynthesisofptaunanoalloydecoratedhydrogenatedtiosub2subforhighefficiencyindoorformaldehydephotodegradation
AT zhuoli scalablesynthesisofptaunanoalloydecoratedhydrogenatedtiosub2subforhighefficiencyindoorformaldehydephotodegradation