An Efficient Photocatalyst Structure: TiO2(B) Nanofibers Covered with Anatase Nanocrystals
Titania photocatalysts have been widely studied for use in industries ranging from chemical synthesis, energy production and storage, environmental remediation, and sensors and odor control. TiO2 catalysts are commercially advantageous due to a band gap that can be activated by sunlight and spans the redox properties of water. The performance of the catalysts depends on, such as TiO2 polymorph, impurities, specific surface area, morphology and surface chemistry. Catalysts with a delicate composite structure, in which TiO2(B) fiber is covered with anatase nanocrystals are developed. Such a structure possesses several advantages. First, The band gap of TiO2(B) phase is narrower than that of anatase, thus there will be difference between conduction band edges of the two phases. This difference will facilitate irreversible charge transfer from one phase to the other, and thus reduces the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes. The efficient separation of the photo-generated charges facilitates the redox reaction involving these charges. Second, the fibril structure has good mechanic strength because of the core TiO2(B) fiber and large specific surface area because of the fibril morphology and anatase nanocrystals on the fibre surface. Third, they can be easily dispersed into and separated from a solution, and this property is important to the commercial applications of the photocatalysis process. They exhibit superior photocatalytic activity to the well known P25 powder for degradation of SRB dye (Figure 1). Finally the catalysts of such structure were prepared via a facile hydrothermal process from industrial grade titanias, even rutile minerals.