Photocatalytic activity of porous multiwalled carbon nanotube-TiO2 composite layers for pollutant degradation

TiO2 nanoparticles are suitable building blocks nanostructures for the synthesis of porous functional thin films. Here we report the preparation of films using brookite, P25 titania and anatase pristine nanoparticles and of nanocomposite layers combining anatase nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) at various concentrations. The structure and phase composition of the layers were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Their morphology and texture properties were determined by scanning electron microscopy and krypton adsorption experiments, respectively. Additionally to a strong absorption in the UV range, the composites exhibited light absorption in the visible range as well. The photocatalytic performance of the layers was tested in the degradation of aqueous solutions of 4-chlorophenol serving as a model of an eco-persistent pollutant. Besides the determination of the decrease in the concentration of 4-chlorophenol, also the formation of intermediate degradation products, namely hydroquinone and benzoquinone, was followed. The presence of MWCNTs had a beneficial effect on the photocatalytic performance, a marked increase in the photocatalytic degradation rate constant being observed even at very low concentrations of MWCNTs. Compared to a P25 reference layer, the first order rate reaction constant increased by about 100% for the composite films containing MWCNTs at concentrations above 0.6 wt%. The key parameters for the enhancement of the photocatalytic performance are discussed. The presence of carbon nanotubes influences beneficially the degradation of 4-chlorophenol by an attack of the primarily photoproduced hydroxyl radicals onto the 4-chlorophenol molecules. The degradation due to the direct charge transfer is practically not influenced at all.

Mesoscopically structured nanocrystalline metal oxide thin films

This review describes the main successful strategies that are used to grow mesostructured nanocrystalline metal oxide and SiO₂ films via deposition of sol-gel derived solutions. In addition to the typical physicochemical forces to be considered during crystallization, mesoporous thin films are also affected by the substrate-film relationship and the mesostructure. The substrate can influence the crystallization temperature and the obtained crystallographic orientation due to the interfacial energies and the lattice mismatch. The mesostructure can influence the crystallite orientation, and affects nucleation and growth behavior due to the wall thickness and pore curvature. Three main methods are presented and discussed: templated mesoporosity followed by thermally induced crystallization, mesostructuration of already crystallized metal oxide nanobuilding units and substrate-directed crystallization with an emphasis on very recent results concerning epitaxially grown piezoelectric structured α-quartz films via crystallization of amorphous structured SiO₂ thin films.

High photocatalytic activity of transparent films composed of ZnO nanosheets

Nanometric thin films were prepared by dip-coating and inkjet printing ZnO nanosheets on glass plates. The side-by-side alignment of the ZnO nanosheets on the substrate resulted in thin, transparent, oriented ZnO surfaces with the high-energy {001} facets exposed. The method of nanosheet deposition affected the film morphology; the dip-coated films were very smooth and nonporous, while the inkjet-printed films were rough and porous with the estimated void volume approximately 60-70% of the total film volume. The first-order rate constants for the photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol on the nanosheet-based films were approximately 2 times larger than those on nanocolumnar ZnO films or ZnO films prepared by the sol-gel technique. We attribute the high photocatalytic activity of the ZnO nanosheets to the fact that their {001} facets were predominantly exposed to the oxidized substrate. This surface arrangement and the simplicity of fabricating the ZnO nanosheet-based films make them promising for the construction of optical devices and dye-sensitized solar cells.

Sol-gel synthesis of mesoporous mixed Fe2O3/TiO2 photocatalyst: application for degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Photosensitization of TiO2 with other transition metal oxides can extend its light absorption property in the visible region. Such materials could emerge as excellent catalysts for solar photocatalytic degradation. In the present study mesoporous Fe2O3/TiO2 (10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 wt% Fe2O3) photocatalysts were synthesized by sol-gel process and characterized using different techniques. The XRD patterns exhibited the presence of mesoporous structure and isomorphic substitution of Fe(3+) in TiO2 at low Fe(3+) loading and Ti(4+) in Fe2O3 at high Fe(3+) loading. The XPS results revealed the presence of Ti(4+) and Fe(3+) in Fe2O3/TiO2 materials. The DRS UV-vis spectra showed a shift in the band gap excitation of TiO2 to longer wavelength, thus illustrating incorporation of Fe(3+) in TiO2. In addition, free TiO2 and Fe2O3 particles were also present. Their photocatalytic activity was tested for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol in aqueous medium using sunlight. The activity of the catalysts followed the order: meso-30 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-10 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-50 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-70 Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-90 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-Fe2O3>meso-TiO2. This order concluded that mesoporous Fe2O3/TiO2 could be an active catalyst for pollutant degradation, as TiO2 with framework Fe(3+) and photosensitization with free Fe2O3 were involved in the activity.

Adsorption and photocatalytic and photosensitised bleaching of acid orange 7 on multilayer mesoporous films of TiO2

A series of mesoporous films of titania of different thicknesses are prepared and their surface areas and porosities determined by physical adsorption using Kr as the adsorbate. The amounts of acid orange 7 (AO7) adsorbed by these films are found to be proportional to their measured surface areas and so the possibility of using this as a method of determining the surface area of thin titania films is discussed. The initial rates of UV-driven photocatalytic- and visible-driven photosensitised-bleaching of AO7 in solution, upon UVA and visible light irradiation, respectively, are also directly dependent upon the measured surface areas of the titania films. The quantum efficiencies for the UV photocatalytic- and visible photosensitised-bleaching of AO7 by the thickest of the AO7 films were estimated to be 0.08 and 0.01%, respectively.

Mesoporous TiO2 core-shell spheres composed of nanocrystals with exposed high-energy facets: facile synthesis and formation mechanism

A facile new method that combines electrospray and hydrothermal treatment is used to prepare mesoporous core-shell TiO(2) spheres with high specific surface areas and high pore volumes. Interestingly, the resulting TiO(2) spheres are composed of anatase TiO(2) nanocrystals with exposed step-like {001} and smooth {010} facets. The percentage of exposed {001} facets can be adjusted by changing the experimental parameters used in the electrospray and hydrothermal treatment processes, such as the contents of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) and acetic acid. The combination of high specific surface area (>100 m(2) g(-1)), high pore volume (>0.30 cm(3) g(-1)), useful pore size (10-15 nm), spherical core-shell structure, and exposed high energy facets makes these TiO(2) spheres an important candidate for use in many photoelectrochemical applications. The formation mechanism of the mesoporous TiO(2) spheres is also studied. The great advantage of this method is that interesting and complicated mesoporous superstructures can be prepared using electrospray technology.