Hydrogen evolution promotion of Au‐nanoparticles‐decorated TiO 2 nanotube arrays prepared by dip‐loading approach

Au nanoparticle (NPs)@TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) heterostructured films with enhanced H 2 generation rate under full spectrum were synthesized, by using a controllable and facile dip‐loading approach. Size of the Au NPs was well‐distributed around 7 nm, and the TiO 2 NTAs were found vertically aligned. Due to LSPR effect and Schottky contact, the as‐prepared Au NPs@TiO 2 NTAs heterostructured films exhibited improved H 2 generation abilities as well as photocatalytic degradation abilities. H 2 evolution rate of the obtained samples (effective area: 5.25 cm 2 ) reached 74.56 μmol/h, which was 38 times higher than that of the raw TiO 2 NTAs. And the Au NPs@TiO 2 NTAs samples also showed an obvious advantage over the raw TiO 2 NTAs, in methyl orange degradation under UV illumination. Repetition experiments were further carried out to ensure the dip‐loading method was a reliable fabrication process, and the amount of Au particles attached on TiO 2 tube walls could be manipulated by changing the dip‐loading cycle times.