Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution of nanocrystalline mesoporous titania prepared by surfactant-assisted templating sol-gel process

Journal Article · Fri Jan 14 23:00:00 EST 2005 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2004.11.014· OSTI ID:20721703

Sreethawong, Thammanoon ^[1]; Suzuki, Yoshikazu ^[1]; Yoshikawa, Susumu ^[1]

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1. Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan)

Nanocrystalline mesoporous titania was synthesized via a combined sol-gel process with surfactant-assisted templating method, treated under various calcination conditions, and evaluated for its photocatalytic activity through photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from an aqueous methanol solution. In this synthetic method, applied surfactant template molecules functioned as both mesopore-forming and gelation-assisting agents. The resulting products were methodically characterized by TG-DTA, XRD, N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectra, SEM, and TEM analyses. The partial phase transformation from anatase to rutile occurred beyond calcination temperature of 600 deg. C and anatase-rutile transition kinetics was also investigated. The calcination conditions and crystalline phases existing in the products exerted significant effect on the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. The activity of the synthesized titania treated under appropriate calcination conditions was considerably higher than that of commercial titania powders, Ishihara ST-01 and Degussa P-25. It is clearly seen that the introduction of mesopore into titania photocatalyst substantially improved the photocatalytic performance.

• OSTI ID: 20721703
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 178; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CALCINATION
CATALYSTS
CRYSTALS
DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS
HYDROGEN
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RUTILE
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SURFACTANTS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
TITANIUM OXIDES
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
X-RAY DIFFRACTION