Etched titania nanoplates by both HF and HAc and the photocatalytic activities for degradation of pollutants

Abstract

A HF/HAc-containing system has been developed to synthesize uniform anatase TiO₂ nanoplates with controllable thickness. The interesting etch figures caused by misorientations on the {001} facets of anatase TiO₂ nanoplates are found, leading to the obvious transformation from square edges to round ones. Remarkably, the typical nanoplates exhibit a 6 times higher activity than commercial Degussa P25 for the RhB degradation, due to the thin thickness and highly exposed {001} facets.