Our website is currently undergoing maintenance. Article records and full texts remain available. Submissions can be made through the Editorial Manager.

Photoactive TiO₂ Nanopowder Synthesized at Low Temperature without a Catalyst

J.-P. Nikkanen, E. Huttunen-Saarivirta, T. Kanerva, T. Kivelä, E. Levänen, T. Mäntylä

Journal of Ceramic Science and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2011), pp. 97-102

DOI: 10.4416/JCST2011-00008

Download full article (PDF)

Abstract

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) anatase powder was synthesized at 50 °C under normal pressure using the sol-gel method without a base or acid catalyst. The structural and photocatalytic properties of the produced anatase powder were determined with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption testing, and compared to those of anatase powder synthesized in a conventional process by calcining at 450 °C. The photocatalytic activity was confirmed with methylene blue (MB) discoloration tests. The obtained results showed that the crystal size of anatase produced with the low-temperature catalyst-free method averaged 5.5 nm, while it was 12 nm for the anatase made by calcining. As a consequence, the specific surface area of the anatase powder synthesized at low temperature was three times higher than that of the calcined powder. The weight-based photocatalytic activity of the low-temperature-synthesized powder was 2.5 times higher than that of calcined powder. Therefore, the activity per unit of surface area was slightly higher for calcined anatase.

Keywords

Sol-gel processes, titanium dioxide, anatase, grain growth, calcination

View this issue · Article & DOI index