Photocatalytic Activity inCH3CN Related to the Surface Properties ofTiO2Powders Prepared by Sol-Gel Method

Abstract

SomeTiO2powders, prepared from titanium(IV)tetraisopropoxide by the sol-gel method and thermally treated between 100 and1000∘C, have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and by nitrogen adsorption and desorption at 77 K to calculate the BET-specific surface area, from which the micropore volume and the external surface area can be derived. The photocatalytic activity (ka) of the above powders has been evaluated considering theTiO2-sensitized photo-oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol inCH3CN as the test reaction. The decrease ofkahave been related to the decrease of the BET surface area, the micropore volume, and the external surface area of theTiO2powders, but a satisfactory linear correlation is observed only for the last superficial parameter.