XPS analysis of Fe2O3-TiO2-Au nanocomposites prepared by a plasma-assisted route

Fe2O3 nanodeposits have been grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates by plasma enhanced-chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD). Subsequently, the obtained systems have been functionalized through the sequential introduction of TiO2 and Au nanoparticles (NPs) by means of radio frequency (RF)-sputtering. The target nanocomposites have been specifically optimized in view of their ultimate functional application in solar-driven H2 generation. In the present study, our attention is focused on a detailed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization of the surface composition for a representative Fe2O3-TiO2-Au specimen. In particular, this report provides a detailed discussion of the analyzed C 1s, O 1s, Fe 2p, Ti 2p, and Au 4f regions. The obtained results point to the formation of pure Fe2O3-TiO2-Au composites, with gold present only in its metallic state and each of the constituents maintaining its chemical identity.