Ultrasmall Metal Oxide Particles: Preparation, Photophysical Characterization, and Photocatalytic Properties

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of the author's activities in the research of extremely small metal oxide particles in recent years. In particular, the synthesis of transparent colloidal solutions of extremely small zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, hematite, and titanium/iron mixed oxide particles (2 nm < d 20 nm) in water, ethanol, and 2‐propanol is described. Quantum (Q)‐size effects are observed during particle growth and at me final stages of synthesis. A simple molecular orbital (MO) picture is presented for the qualitative interpretation of these effects, while quantitative calculations have been carried out using a quantum mechanical model developed by Brus. The photophysical properties of the particles have also been investigated extensively. Fluorescence spectra of the ZnO sols suggest that adsorbed electron relays are necessary to shuttle electrons from the conduction band to lower‐lying traps. Excess negative charge on the particles, resulting from either deprotonated surface hydroxyl groups or from photogenerated or externally injected charge carriers, causes a blue‐shift in the electronic absorption spectrum, which is explained by electrostatic and MO models. The zero point of charge (pHzpc) of the aqueous colloidal suspensions has been determined by several independent methods. While zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and titanium/iron mixed oxide particles exhibit considerable photocatalytic activity (as illustrated for the reduction of molecular oxygen and the oxidation of various halogenated carboxyl acids), hematite particles are only found to oxidize S(IV) under bandgap illumination to a reasonable extent (ϕ < 0.3). A mechanism involving surface‐bound molecules and free radical intermediates is presented to explain these differences in reactivity.