Glycothermal Synthesis and Photocatalytic Properties of Highly Crystallized Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology Vol. 15; no. 8; p. 6193
• Main Authors: Kil, Hyun-Sig, Jung, Yong-Jin, Moon, Jung-In, Song, Jeong-Hwan, Lim, Dae-Young, Cho, Seung-Beom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.2015
• Subjects: Azo Compounds - chemistry; Azo Compounds - isolation & purification; Azo Compounds - radiation effects; Butylene Glycols - chemistry; Catalysis; Crystallization - methods; Hot Temperature; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Light; Materials Testing; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Metal Nanoparticles - radiation effects; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Particle Size; Photochemistry - methods; Solvents - chemistry; Surface Properties; Titanium - chemistry; Titanium - radiation effects
• ISSN: 1533-4880
• DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2015.10430

Highly crystallized anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized at a temperature as low as 120 °C through a glycothermal reaction using amorphous titanium hydrous gel as precursor and 1,4-butanediol and water as solvent. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data support that the glycothermal processing method provides a simple low-temperature route for producing highly crystallized anatase TiO2 nanoparticles without pH adjustment. It is demonstrated that the shape and dispersability of TiO2 nanoparticles can be controlled by the reaction conditions, such as the reaction temperature and variation of the volume ratio of 1,4- butanediol/water (B/W). It was observed that TiO2 samples glycothermally prepared at 220 °C and the B/W ratio of 8/0 showed excellent photocatalytic behavior. The high activity is attributed to the high crystallinity and bipyramidal shape of the particles, which have fewer defects and more active {101} surfaces.