Photocatalysis of methylene blue on titanium dioxide nanoparticles synthesized by modified sol-hydrothermal process of TiCl4

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrolysis and condensation of TiCl₄, an economic titanium precursor, in a mixed solvent of iso-propyl alcohol and water. As-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy filtering transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM). To examine the photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared TiO₂, the photodegradation of MB which is a typical dye resistant to biodegradation has been investigated on TiO₂ powders in aqueous heterogeneous suspensions. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ powders prepared by the hydrolysis of TiCl₄ in the mixed solutions of iso-PrOH/H₂O exceeded that of commercial TiO₂ powders. The apparent first order rate constants (k _app) for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) showed a good correlation with the absorbance area obtained by UV-VIS DRS on wavelength in the limits of used lamp emission 300∼420 nm.