Influence of Explosion Temperature on Structure and Property of Nano-TiO2 Prepared by Gaseous Detonation Method

Abstract

TiO2 powders were fabricated by gaseous detonation method, and influences of explosion temperature on phase composition, crystallite size and photocatalytic property of TiO2 were studied. The prepared samples were characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Photocatalytic performance was determined by degradation of methyl orange dye under UV irradiation. The results show that explosion temperature has a significant effect on mean particle size and weight fraction of rutile in the sampls. The maximum percent content of rutile is 92.2% when explosion temperature is 2524 K. The average particle size has linear relationship with explosion temperature, and the sample particle sizes increase from 87.2 nm to 172.9 nm with explosion temperature increasing from 2399 K to 3114 K. Explosion temperature exerts an indirect influence on photocatalytic performance. Photocatalytic performance decreases with explosion temperature increment. At 2399 K, the sample exerts the highest photocatalytic activity that the degradation rate of methyl orange solution can achieve 90.82% under UV light for 40 min, and the fraction of anatase and mean particle size is 31.7% and 87.24 nm, respectively.