Enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO₂-C hybrid aerogels for methylene blue degradation.

ABSTRACT: Carbon-based TiO₂ composites have many advantages as photocatalysts. However, they suffer from low light efficiency due to the low contrast of TiO₂ with carbon. We synthesized a novel type of anatase-type TiO₂-C hybrid aerogel by a one-pot sol-gel method, which shows a photocatalytic activity for methylene degradation up to 4.23 times that of P25, a commercial photocatalyst from Degussa Inc. The hybrid aerogels are prepared from TiCl₄ and resorcinol-furfural, and have a tunable macropore size from 167 to 996 nm. They are formed of submicrometer particles that consist of interwoven anatase and carbon nanoparticles. The anatase nanoparticles have a size of 8-9 nm and a tunable oxygen vacancy from 7.2 to 18.0%. The extremely high activity is ascribed to the large light absorption caused by ma

SUBMITTER: Shao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3804859 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature