Issue 12, 2012

Size controlled synthesis of highly dispersed anatase/rutilenanoparticles with photocatalytic activity toward salicylic acid degradation

Abstract

TiO2 nanocrystals supported in SBA-15 pores were prepared by a simple route of successive cycles of impregnation of SBA-15 with titanium(IV) di-(n-propoxy)-di-(2-ethylhexanoate) followed by thermal treatment. Anatase and rutile phases were identified by XRD in the materials obtained after cycles 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10. Raman scattering combined with XRD and TEM shows that titania is in a nanometric regime. Increases in the size of the titania nanocrystals, as well as increases in the TiO2 content in the final material (XRF), occur after successive cycles. SAXS and N2 sorption indicate that the nanocrystals are formed inside the SBA-15 mesopores, which remain unblocked even after 10 cycles. UV-Vis (DRS) spectroscopy indicates important changes in electronic properties. The ability of SBA-15-supported titania nanocrystals to photodegrade salicylic acid was tested. There is a clear relation between the TiO2 nanoparticle size and the photocatalytic activity. Among all samples tested, the best result was obtained for the materials with the highest band-gaps and with the smallest sized titania.

Graphical abstract: Size controlled synthesis of highly dispersed anatase/rutile nanoparticles with photocatalytic activity toward salicylic acid degradation

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Mar 2012
Accepted
19 Apr 2012
First published
20 Apr 2012

RSC Adv., 2012,2, 5390-5397

Size controlled synthesis of highly dispersed anatase/rutile nanoparticles with photocatalytic activity toward salicylic acid degradation

J. Martins de Souza e Silva, M. Pastorello, M. Strauss, C. M. Maroneze, F. A. Sigoli, Y. Gushikem and I. O. Mazali, RSC Adv., 2012, 2, 5390 DOI: 10.1039/C2RA20453C

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