CTAB-assisted fabrication of TiO2 with improved photocatalytic performance

Abstract

TiO2 photocatalyst with high photocatalytic performance was prepared by the sol–gel method with the assistance of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The specific surface area, structure, morphology and the photoinduced charge separation rate of the photocatalyst prepared (CTAB–TiO2) were characterized by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS), respectively. The results show that CTAB alters the surface parameters and the morphology, enhances the photoinduced charge separation rate of TiO2. The photocatalytic activity of photocatalysts for decolorization of methyl orange solution was investigated. The results demonstrate that the photocatalytic activity of CTAB–TiO2 is more than three times of that of the reference TiO2 and the underlying reason was discussed.