Monolithic SrTiO3/titanate nanotube/TiO2 nanocomposite toward enhanced photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Photocatalytic monoliths with hieratical pores ranging from nm to ¯m, consisting of titanate nanotubes (TNTs), SrTiO3 nanoparticles, and TiO2 nanoparticles, are prepared by a hydrothermal reaction of a porous TNT/TiO2 monolith with Sr(OH)2. The precursory TNT/TiO2 monolith is composed of TNTs and TiO2 (anatase) nanoparticles where the frameworks of the monolith are constructed from interconnected and entangled TNTs. The SrTiO3 nanoparticles are found to be homogeneously formed on the TNTs. Close contact between SrTiO3 nanoparticles and TNTs in the porous monolith is considered to benefit an enhancement of photocatalytic activity due to an effective suppression of the electronhole recombination at the heterojunction.