Solvothermal synthesis of TiO2 photocatalysts in ketone solvents with low boiling points

Abstract

The titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysts were synthesized by a solvothermal process in highly alkaline 70: 30 water: ketone solutions with a TiO2-P25 precursor and calcined at different temperatures. The ketone solvents, such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), had low boiling points (<100°C). The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, FTIR, UV-vis and Raman spectroscopy. The effects of the different solvents on the nanostructure, the morphology, and the photocatalytic performance of the TiO2 products were investigated. Nanotubes formed in water and water-MEK, while nanoparticle/nanowires formed in water-acetone and water-acetone-MEK. The ketone solvents played an important role in the improving nanostructure properties of these products, which affected their photocatalytic reactions. The results indicated that samples synthesized in solvents such as water and MEK had high adsorption and photocatalytic behaviors. The photocatalytic reactivity was the greatest for the TiO2 prepared in MEK and calcined at 100°C, which was even more reactive than the sample prepared in water and TiO2-P25 powder. © 2013 Chau Thanh Nam et al.