Photocatalytic activity of TiO2prepared at low temperature by a photo-assisted sol-gel method

Abstract

TiO2nanocrystals were prepared by a photo-assisted sol-gel process in which tetrabutoxide titanate was hydrolyzed in acidic medium under ultraviolet irradiation. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra showed that the as-prepared TiO2particles without further annealing were well-crystallized anatase. Such TiO2particles were easily immobilized on dacron cloth and showed very high photocatalytic activity. In contrast, TiO2particles were ill crystallized and showed lower activity when no light was introduced under otherwise equal conditions.