Preparation of nanoporous Ag@TiO2 ribbons through dealloying and their electrocatalytic properties

Nanoporous Ag@TiO2 composites with core-shell structure were successfully prepared through dealloying the melt-spun Al-Ag-Ti ribbons in NaOH aqueous solution. The results revealed that TiO2 shell with thickness of about 2 nm was formed in situ on the Ag ligaments. Ti3+ and Ag+ species co-existed after the dealloyed samples were calcined at 873 K, which had significant influence on the catalytic performance. The electrochemical results showed that the nanoporous Ag@TiO2 composites significantly promoted the direct oxidation of BH4 − superior to pure Ag. The enhanced catalytic activity could be attributed to the strong interfacial effects between the ligaments and TiO2 shells.