Physico-chemical properties and possible photocatalytic applications of titanate nanotubes synthesized via hydrothermal method

Sylwia Mozia , Ewa Borowiak-Paleń , Jacek Przepiórski , Barbara Grzmil , Tomoki Tsumura , Masahiro Toyoda , Joanna Grzechulska-Damszel , Antoni W. Morawski

Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) were prepared from TiO P25 via hydrothermal method. The reaction temperature was 130 or 140°C and the reaction time was 24 or 48h. The samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and N adsorption as well as Raman, FTIR-DRS and UV-Vis/DR spectroscopy. The obtained samples exhibited similar properties, regardless of the preparation temperature and time. The most notable difference between properties of TNTs prepared under different conditions was observed in case of BET surface area, which was increasing from 386m/g to 478m/g along with increasing the reaction time and temperature. Based on TEM, XRD and TG measurements we have suggested that the structure of TNTs was HTiO(OH). The TEM and Raman spectroscopy measurements showed that the obtained products contained also low amount of anatase phase. The TNTs exhibited no photoactivity towards degradation of model azo dye Acid Red 18. However, TNTs were successfully applied for photocatalyti.+c generation of CH and H in a solution of acetic acid. The amount of methane produced with application of TNTs synthesized at 140°C was about 2.5 times higher than that generated with use of TiO P25. To the best of our knowledge this is a first report on the photocatalytic generation of hydrocarbons using TNTs in the current state of the art.

Mots clés: A. nanostructures; B. chemical synthesis; C. Raman spectroscopy; D. thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

Sylwia Mozia, Ewa Borowiak-Paleń, Jacek Przepiórski, Barbara Grzmil, Tomoki Tsumura, et al.. Physico-chemical properties and possible photocatalytic applications of titanate nanotubes synthesized via hydrothermal method. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 2010, 71 (3), pp.263. ⟨10.1016/j.jpcs.2009.12.074⟩. ⟨hal-00615317⟩