The aim of this work is to develop bimetallic Pd-Au/TiO2 P90 systems, which are highly active and selective for the photocatalytic oxidation of methanol to form methyl formate. Modification of commercial TiO2 P90 with Pd-Au nanoparticles was successfully achieved for the first time by means of a sonophotodeposition (SPD) method. The prepared materials were characterized by TEM, UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and powder XRD. The Pd-Au bimetallic nanoparticles supported on titania exhibited remarkably enhanced catalytic activity in selective methanol oxidation to form methyl formate due to the synergism of Au and Pd particles, as well as the strong interaction between TiO2 and Pd-Au. SPD is a green methodology that can be used to prepare well-defined bimetallic surfaces on semiconductor supports with great promise for catalytic applications, in which selectivity can be tuned through adjustment of the surface composition.

Mild ultrasound-assisted synthesis of TiO2 supported on magnetic nanocomposites for selective photo-oxidation of benzyl alcohol, Applied Catalysis B, Environmental http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.apcatb.2015.10.034 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

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Fe‐doped TiO2‐supported photocatalytic materials prepared by the use of a mild ultrasound‐assisted protocol have been found to possess excellent selectivities in glucose oxidation and total phenol mineralization. These materials were characterized by a number of techniques such as XRD, diffuse reflectance UV/Vis spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM with X‐ray microanalysis, HRTEM, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The proposed synthesis method was found to have a significant effect on textural properties, morphology, and visible‐light responsiveness of nanophotocatalysts. The dopant agent was found to be in the form of Fe3+ ions. The effects of the textural properties, together with the Fe presence and the adsorption ability of the material (acidic properties), seem to be involved in the optimum photocatalytic activities found for Fe–TiO2 supported on zeolite. In phenol photodegradation, although Fe doping demonstrated the detrimental effect on the conversion rate, an improvement in the direct mineralization of phenol to CO2 and water, particularly for the SiO2‐supported photocatalyst, with a negligible content of toxic byproducts in water has been observed in comparison with commercially available Evonik P25.