Abstract
Here we present a method to produce TiO2 nanocrystals coated by thin layer of graphitic carbon. The coating process was prepared via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with acetylene used as a carbon feedstock with TiO2 used as a substrate. Different temperatures (400°C and 500°C) and times (10, 20, and 60 s) of reaction were explored. The prepared nanocomposites were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy/diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and ultraviolet-vis (UV-vis)/diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Furthermore, photocatalytic activity of the materials was investigated under visible and UV-vis light irradiation in the process of phenol decomposition. It was found that TiO2 modification with carbon resulted in a significant increase of photoactivity under visible irradiation and decrease under UV-vis light irradiation. Interestingly, a shorter CVD time and higher process temperature resulted in the preparation of the samples exhibiting higher activity in the photocatalytic process under visible light irradiation.
Highlights
Titanium dioxide generates a great interest in materials science due to its amazing photocatalytic performance, low cost, long-term stability, and promising application in photocatalysis areas such as wastewater [1] and air purification [2], degradation of brevetoxins in aqueous and organic media [3], or destruction of microorganisms in water [4]
Acetylene was used as a carbon feedstock and TiO2 as a substrate
The investigations indicate that higher chemical vapor deposition (CVD) temperature and longer time of reaction resulted in enhanced deposition of carbon
Summary
Titanium dioxide generates a great interest in materials science due to its amazing photocatalytic performance, low cost, long-term stability, and promising application in photocatalysis areas such as wastewater [1] and air purification [2], degradation of brevetoxins in aqueous and organic media [3], or destruction of microorganisms in water [4]. That is why the modification of TiO2 towards shifting the absorption threshold to the visible light region in order to allow utilization of solar energy attracted attention of many researchers. Several methods of TiO2 modification have been proposed such as semiconductors coupling [5], doping [6], or fluorination [7]. These methods resulted in enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. Graphene, a single-atom planar sheet of sp2bonded carbon atoms, has attracted a great interest in the field of photocatalysis. Graphene has a charge mobility which is among the highest of any other semiconductors [8-10] is the strongest material ever
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