Anatase photocatalyst with supported low crystalline TiO2: The influence of amorphous phase on the activity

Abstract In a previous study on commercial TiO2 nanoparticles (J. Soria et al.) we had shown that the superficial disordered layers influence their textural and reactivity features. In the present work we used well crystallized anatase particles (commercial TiO2, BDH) as support of different amounts of titania powders, prepared by TiCl4 hydrolysis and constituted by nanocrystals diluted into an amorphous matrix. The reactivity of these photocatalysts has been tested for the selective oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol to aldehyde in aqueous suspension. The catalyst characteristics have been studied using adsorption-desorption isotherms, TEM, HRTEM, TGA, PL, DRIFT-IR, and 1H MAS-NMR spectr…

The effect of the surface disordered layer on the photoreactivity of titania nanoparticles

It is well known that the surface of metal oxide catalysts presents, usually, non-crystalline species containing impurities and low coordinated cations, which are observed in HRTEM images as a disordered layer of amorphous phase. Despite of being these species more accessible and less stable than the crystalline catalysts components, they have been rarely considered when analysing the catalyst activity. In this work, we have studied the effect of a treatment with HCl solution at pH = 0 on the characteristics of the disordered layer in two commercial anatase TiO2 samples, using techniques such as TGA, 1H MAS-NMR and HRTEM, and by determining these sample photocatalytic activity for the 4-nit…

Synergistic effect of ozone and photocatalytic oxidation over TiO2 on the removal of free cyanide ions

ESR study of photo-oxidation of phenol at low temperature on polycrystalline titanium dioxide

The formation of oxygen radicals on hydrated TiO 2 (anatase) samples irradiated at 77 K in the near-UV region and their interaction with adsorbed phenol molecules have been studied by electron spin resonance. The results indicate that the irradiation determines the generation of O 2 H · and O − radicals which react with adsorbed phenol molecules. Phenol-derived radicals are generated after warming the sample at room temperature. A reaction mechanism is proposed on the basis of the observed species.

Anatase nanoparticles boundaries resulting from titanium tetrachloride hydrolysis

An important factor that governs solar energy transformation into electrical or chemical energy, when using nanoparticles-based devices, is the spatial location of traps limiting electron transport. Evidences have been presented indicating that the electron diffusion is strongly influenced by nanoparticle boundaries, whose characteristics depend on the particles preparation. In the present work we have studied the role of hydrated excess proton structures in the formation of anatase nanoparticles boundaries in samples prepared by TiCl4 hydrolysis at low temperature and strong acidic conditions. The samples, constituted by anatase nanocrystals but, mainly, by amorphous titania, are studied b…

Fourier Transform Infrared Study of the Performance of Nanostructured TiO2 Particles for the Photocatalytic Oxidation of Gaseous Toluene

Thermal and hydrothermal treatments have been applied to an amorphous TiO2 precursor for obtaining nanosized TiO2 particles (P11t and P11h, respectively) of different photocatalytic properties. The activity of these catalysts has been tested by performing the toluene oxidation in gas phase in a continuous photoreactor. A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) investigation of the catalysts under conditions prevailing during the test photoreaction has also been carried out. The photoreactivity results showed that CO2 was the main oxidation product and benzaldehyde a stable intermediate. Anatase P11t photoactivity was similar to that observed for commercial photocatalysts, while anatase P11h prese…

Influence of pH on the degradation kinetics of nitrophenol isomers in a heterogeneous photocatalytic system

Abstract The kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of 2-, 3- and 4-nitrophenol in aqueousdispersions containing TiO2 (anatase) has been investigated at different initial values of pH and concentrations of substrate. A pseudo-first order kinetics with respect to the nitrophenol concentration was found to hold; an increase of the substrate concentration and the initial pH was detrimental on the degradation rate.