In-Situ Growth of Au on KTaO 3 Sub-Micron Cubes via Wet Chemical Approach for Enhanced Photodegradation of p-Nitrophenol.

KTaO ₃ /Au hetero-nanostructures were synthesized by in-situ reduction of HAuCl ₄ on the surface of hydrothermally-grown KTaO ₃ sub-micron cubes. The concentration of Au source was found to be a critical factor in controlling the hetero-nucleation of Au nanoparticles on the surface of KTaO ₃ sub-micron cubes. Loading of Au particles on KTaO ₃ nanocrystals enriched KTaO ₃ additional UV-vis absorption in the visible light region. Both KTaO ₃ and KTaO ₃ /Au nanocrystals were shown to be active in the photo-degradation of p-nitrophenol, while the loading of Au on KTaO ₃ clearly improved the photo-degradation efficiency of p-nitrophenol compared to that on bare KTaO ₃ nanocrystals, probably due to the improved light absorption and charge separation.