Preparation and characterization of titania based nanowires

A new method for preparation of titania nanowires with diameter around 10 nm and length up to 2–3 μm is described. The precursor was prepared from sodium titanate by adding ethylene glycole (EG) and heating at temperature of 198°C for 6 h under reflux. The sodium titanate glycolate formed by this way aggregated into 1D nanostructures and was subsequently transformed into titania glycolate during a chemical treatment with 98% sulfuric acid. Titania nanowires with variable amount of anatase and rutile were prepared by heating to temperatures in the range 350–1000°C. The precursor as well as titania based samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, High resolution transmission microscopy, Thermogravimetry, Differential thermal analysis, Evolved gas analysis and Emanation thermal analysis. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption was used for surface area and porosity determination. The photoactivity of the prepared titania samples was assessed by the photocatalytic decomposition of 4-chlorophenol in an aqueous slurry under UV irradiation of 365 nm wavelength.     

Self-assembly of rutile (α-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) nanoclusters into nanorods in microemulsions at low temperature and their photocatalytic performance

A novel method – inverse microemulsion has been developed not only for synthesizing low cost TiO₂ nanocrystals but also for the first time making these nanocrystals self-assemble into various nanoparticles at 85°C. By variation of the volume ratios of oil to water in reverse microemulsions, the morphologies of obtained samples turned from nanoclusters to nanospherules, then grew into nanodumbbells, and became nanorods at last. It could be observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) directly. The resulting materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ was tested with photodegradation of Methyl Orange (MO) in water. The catalyst consisting of nanorods showed the highest photocatalytic activity, which is due to its large surface area. Furthermore, the mechanism of self-assembly of TiO₂ nanocrystals was discussed in detail.     

Sunlight-activated AlFeO3/TiO2 photocatalyst

A nanocomposite photocatalyst composed of AlFeO₃ and TiO₂ is prepared, and characterized through X-ray diffraction. Application of the nanocomposite for the photodegradations of eosin dye and methyl orange gives an improved photoactivity compared with TiO₂-only nanomaterials. The optimal concentration of AlFeO₃ in the composite is about 1.0 wt% under UV excitation, and 9.0 wt% under sunlight excitation for the improved photoactivity. Furthermore, this nanocomposite is more active for eosin photodegradation if natural sunlight rather than UV is used. This may be due to the reason that adding AlFeO₃ nanoparticles into TiO₂ matrix can promote the separation of photogener-ated charge carriers, and extend the photoresponse of TiO₂ toward visible region, which results in an increase in the solar energy utilization efficiency.     

Formation of supported size-controlled nanoparticles of sulfated zirconia

Methods of the preparation of catalysts for alkane skeletal isomerization based on uniform nanoparticles of sulfated zirconia anchored to different supports were investigated. These catalysts were characterized by using the ICP, HRTEM and BET techniques. The activities of the catalysts in the reaction of n-butane isomerization were measured and compared with those of bulk catalysts.     

Photocatalytic TiO2 Coatings: Effect of Substrate and Template

Summary. Transparent TiO₂ films with a high photodegradation activity towards an azo dye in aqueous solution were prepared by sol–gel processing. Films on soda–lime glass supports protected with a thin silica barrier layer exhibited better crystallization and monodisperse nanoparticles, higher absorption of light below 370 nm, and higher photocatalytic activity than those films deposited on bare glass supports proving the detrimental effect of interdiffused sodium ions on the development of the anatase nanostructure. The effect of substrate was more pronounced in thinner films (300 nm) than in thicker ones (1200 nm), which were achieved by adding a template (i.e. Pluronic F127) to the sol.     

Temperature programmed desorption analysis of sol-gel-derived titania films

Sol-gel-derived titania films were analyzed by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The relationship between the TPD curves measured for two types of titania gel films and their crystal structures was investigated. On the basis of the analyses, a preparation process for a titania sol solution containing anatase nanocrystals was designed and developed. Using this process, a colloidal anatase titania sol solution was prepared by heating aqueous titanium hydroxide containing HCl at 60°C for 2 h. The nanocrystal structure of the titania films obtained by coating the sol on glass substrates was confirmed by TPD and XRD measurements.     

锐钛相虫蛀状介孔二氧化钛的表征

0IntroductionMesostructuredtitania(TiO2)hasattractedagreatdealofattention,inviewofcontrolleddelivery,catalytic,photocatlytic,orenergyconversionapplica-tions犤1犦.Theuseoftitaniumisopropoxidebis-acetylace-tonateprecursors,combinedwithalkylphosphatean-ionicsurfactantsastemplate,ledtothefirstdocu-mentedpuremesoporousTiO2犤2犦.Insubsequentyears,moresyntheticstrategieshavebeendevelopedusingavarietyofstructure-directingagents,forexample,car-boxylicacids犤3犦,alkylamine犤4犦,aminium犤5犦,blockcop-o…     

Effect of carbon content on photocatalytic activity of C/TiO2 composite

A series of carbon-covered titania (CCT) were prepared via pyrolysis of sucrose highly dispersed on titania surface in flowing N₂. The samples were characterized by XRD, BET, DTA-TG, UV—Vis, and their photocatalytic properties were evaluated with two model pollutants, methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB), at room temperature. The effect of carbon content on photocatalytic activity of the C/TiO₂ composite was investigated. It was found that the effect of carbon content is different for different pollutants or different light sources. For three tested samples, under UV illumination CCT01 has the highest activity for MB photocatalytic degradation, while in the case of RB, CCT02 is the most active photocatalyst. Under visible light illumination, CCT005 has the highest activity for both MB and RB photocatalytic degradation. Translated from Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2006, 27(1): (in Chinese)     

The Incorporation of Titania into Modified Silicates for Solar Photodegradation of Aqueous Species

A new class of sol-gel-derived photocatalytic materials has been synthesized and used in solar-assisted photodegradation studies. The materials are comprised of a homogeneous dispersion of commercial TiO₂ powder into silica and organically modified silicate (Ormosil) hosts. The efficiency of the photocatalytic properties of these TiO₂-containing materials was determined by their relative performance in the solar photodecomposition of aqueous rhodamine B. The improved adsorption properties of the modified materials compared to commercial TiO₂ increase the photodecomposition rate and the buoyancy properties, although excess hydrophobicity decreases the wetted section of the catalyst and its photocatalytic performance. These materials can be used as floatable catalysts for solar-assisted water purification.     

Effect of the rhenium additive to VOx/TiO2 and MoOx/TiO2 catalysts on their properties in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane

VO_x/TiO₂ and MoO_x/TiO₂ catalysts with the addition of Re (Re/V or Mo = 0.5) were synthetized and tested in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane and in reduction by propane. XPS measurements showed depletion of the surface in Re. The Re additive does not affect the total conversion of propane, but increases the selectivity to propene. The effect is more pronounced for the MoO_x/TiO₂ catalyst. The increase in the selectivity to propene is accompanied with the increase in the reducibility of the catalysts.