Mesoporous MgTa(2)O(6) thin films with enhanced photocatalytic activity: On the interplay between crystallinity and mesostructure.

ABSTRACT: Ordered mesoporous, crystalline MgTa(2)O(6) thin films with a mesoscopic nanoarchitecture were synthesized by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) in combination with a sol-gel procedure. Utilization of novel templates, namely the block copolymers KLE (poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)) and PIB6000 (CH(3)C(CH(3))(2)(CH(2)C(CH(3))(2))(107)CH(2)C(CH(3))(2)C(6)H(4)O(CH(2)CH(2)O)(100)H), was the key to achieving a stable ordered mesoporous structure even upon crystallization of MgTa(2)O(6) within the mesopore walls. The effect of the calcination temperature on the ability of the mesoporous films to assist the photodegradation of rhodamine B in water was studied. As a result, two maxima in the photocatalytic activity were identified in the calcination temperature range of 55

SUBMITTER: Wu JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3304311 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature