Synergistic enhancement in Ag quantum dot modified TiO₂ via interfacial electron transfer channels and LSPR

Environmental pollution poses a pressing global challenge, and photocatalysis represents a promising remediation technology. However, photogenerated carrier recombination remains a critical limitation. In this work, silver quantum dots (Ag QDs) were anchored onto sea urchin-like TiO₂ (U-TiO₂) to construct an Ag-TiO₂ interfacial electron transfer channel. This channel facilitated rapid carrier separation and migration, thereby effectively suppressing recombination. Moreover, the Ag QDs exhibited a pronounced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect that broadened the light absorption range into the visible and near-infrared regions. Under LSPR excitation, the electron chemical potential in Ag QDs was elevated, further enhancing photocatalytic activity. Additionally, the unique urchin-like morphology of U-TiO₂ provided a large specific surface area, enhancing pollutant adsorption and offering abundant reactive sites. Benefiting from the synergy between the interfacial electron transfer channel and LSPR, the Ag QD-modified U-TiO₂ photocatalyst exhibited outstanding degradation performance and great potential for environmental purification applications.