Abstract
TiO2 was in situ surface-modified in the hydrolysis of TBOT with catechol to improve its photocatalytic activity. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrum analysis (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra were carried out to characterize the composites with different catechol contents and different preparation temperatures. The photocatalytic degradation of Acid Orange 7 was chosen as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of the modified catalysts. Results showed that TiO2 nanoparticles were chemically modified by catechol leading to the shifting of the onset wavelength of the optical absorption in the visible range. The modification did not change the crystalline structure of the TiO2 nanoparticles according to the XRD patterns. Through XPS analyses, it was confirmed that the catechol was anchored and saturated on the TiO2 surface by reacting with the surface hydroxyl to form a bidentate mononuclear structure. The photocatalytic studies suggested that the in situ-modified TiO2 photocatalysts showed enhanced photocatalytic efficiency compared to the pure TiO2 under visible-light irradiation. The optimum preparation condition was found at a weight ratio of 4.0 wt% (catechol/TiO2).
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