Effect of silver additions on the structural properties and phase composition of TiO2/Ag composites

We have studied the effect of silver nitrate additions on the anatase–rutile transformation of titanium dioxide in TiO₂/Ag composites at low temperature (500°C). The structure and phase composition of the composites with different Ag(I) concentrations have been determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the percentage of rutile increases with increasing Ag(I) ion concentration, reaching 60 wt %. A mechanism of the anatase–rutile transformation in the composites has been proposed.