ABSTRACT
Photocatalytic glass-ceramics doped with metallic Ag, semiconductor AgBr, and hybrid metal-semiconductor Ag-AgBr nanostructures were synthesized via low-temperature Na+-Ag+ ion exchange. The spectral features of the nanostructures in the silicate glass matrix as well as their photocatalytic performance were studied in detail. Glass-ceramics containing hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructures were shown to possess one order of magnitude higher photocatalytic activity compared to their counterparts with metallic and semiconductor nanostructures. Hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructures allow enhancement of the net density of photogenerated hot electrons.
ABSTRACT
Photostructurable properties of photo-thermo-refractive glass are discovered for the first time. The etching kinetics in HF solutions for virgin photo-thermo-refractive glass and glass ceramics are investigated. The etching rate of the glass ceramics is shown to be more than ten times higher than that of glass. Future prospects of applying the chemical etching technology for developing various PTR glass-based photonic and mechatronic elements are discussed.
