Enhanced photocatalytic activity of nanostructured titanium dioxide/polyaniline hybrid photocatalysts

AbstractThis work shows that the titanium dioxide coatings obtained by low-pressure cold gas spraying with the use of the sol–gel amorphous TiO2 powder are characterized by photocatalytic activity despite their partial amorphous content. Moreover, the research outcome suggests that the decomposition rate of organic pollutants is enhanced after long-term exposure to moisture. The condensation humidity test is not detrimental to the continuity and integrity of the coating, but the phase composition of coatings changes—with the exposure to water vapor, the portion of the amorphous phase crystallizes into brookite. The mechanism responsible for the conversion of amorphous TiO2 into brookite is attributed to the water-driven dissolution and reprecipitation of TiO6 octahedra. It has been shown that an additional parameter necessary for the stabilization of the brookite is the oxygen depletion of the amorphous structure of titanium dioxide. Considering the results presented in this paper and the advantages of a portable, low-pressure cold spray system for industrial applications, it is expected that TiO2 coatings produced from a sol–gel feedstock powder can be further developed and tested as efficient photocatalysts.

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Unexpected Link between the Template Purification Solvent and the Structure of Titanium Dioxide Hollow Spheres

Catalysts ◽

10.3390/catal11010112 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 112

Author(s):

Tamás Gyulavári ◽

Kata Kovács ◽

Klára Magyari ◽

Kornélia Baán ◽

Anna Szabó ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Titanium Dioxide ◽

Photocatalytic Activity ◽

Phase Composition ◽

Anatase Phase ◽

Hollow Spheres ◽

Rutile Phase ◽

Carbon Sphere ◽

Carbon Spheres ◽

Carbonate Species ◽

Determining Factor

Carbon spheres were applied as templates to synthesize titanium dioxide hollow spheres. The templates were purified with either ethanol or acetone, and the effects of this treatment on the properties of the resulting titania were investigated. The photocatalytic activity of the catalysts was measured via the decomposition of phenol model pollutant under visible light irradiation. It was found that the solvent used for the purification of the carbon spheres had a surprisingly large impact on the crystal phase composition, morphology, and photocatalytic activity. Using ethanol resulted in a predominantly rutile phase titanium dioxide with regular morphology and higher photocatalytic activity (r0,phenol = 3.9 × 10−9 M∙s−1) than that containing mainly anatase phase prepared using acetone (r0,phenol = 1.2 × 10−9 M∙s−1), surpassing the photocatalytic activity of all investigated references. Based on infrared spectroscopy measurements, it was found that the carbon sphere templates had different surface properties that could result in the appearance of carbonate species in the titania lattice. The presence or absence of these species was found to be the determining factor in the development of the titania’s properties.

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