Reinforcing blade-cast photocatalytic-titania thin film by titanate nanotubes
- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia)
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, Strada Statale 14, Km 163.5, 34149, Basovizza, Trieste (Italy)
Highlights: • Suspension-based photocatalysts are inferior to thin-films due to separation issues. • Hydrothermal TiO{sub 2} nanotubes and sol-gel Ti(n-OBu){sub 4} blends were tape casted on glass. • Optimum blend composition yields mechanical stability due to the tubes reinforcing effect. • At optimum gel content the nanotube bundles are smoothed without stabilizers added. • Surface accessibility and mass transfer dominate the photocatalytic dye degradation. - Abstract: Titanate nanotubes/titania gel blends were prepared as composite sol-gel material, deposited on a glass substrate using a doctor blade and calcined in order to create thin films. In order to get an insight in titania nanotubes’ ability to reinforce thin films, drying control chemical agents were not used. The effects of titanate nanotubes to titanium n-butoxide ratio on surface morphology, phase composition, mechanical stability and photocatalytic activity were studied. Characterization of the thin films was carried out by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, synchrotron radiation grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and mechanical stability testing. Photocatalytic properties of the obtained thin films were evaluated on the basis of methylene blue degradation. Moderate blends exhibit favourable microstructural features while the dye degradation rate was greater for films with a greater amount of titanate nanotubes.
- OSTI ID:
- 22805178
- Journal Information:
- Materials Research Bulletin, Journal Name: Materials Research Bulletin Vol. 105; ISSN MRBUAC; ISSN 0025-5408
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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