This research is concerned with novel semiconductor composites of sodium hexatitanate oxide (Na2Ti6O13), and silver metallic nanoparticles. The Na2Ti6O13 was prepared by two methods, a sol-gel process and a solid state reaction. The silver nanoparticles were incorporated into the titanate by a deposition-precipitation technique, using NaOH as precipitation agent in the dark. Ag/Na2Ti6O13 microfibers were obtained by the sol-gel method, meanwhile octagonal microbar agglomerates were the product of the solid state reaction. The SEM-TEM observations showed silver particles with a nanometric size (5-7 nm); and fibrillar structures in the sol-gel sodium titanates. The UV-Vis-RD spectroscopy showed a blue shift Eg from 3.3 to 3.4 nm; and a plasmon surface resonance in the visible region. These materials are proposed as potential photocatalysts for contaminated water purification.

Keywords: Solid state sodium titanates, Sol-gel microfiber synthesis, Na2Ti6O13 microfibers, Silver decorated nanofibers, Silver Surface Plasmon Resonance.