Preparation and characterization of Zr doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays on the titanium sheet and their enhanced photocatalytic activity

Abstract

This paper described a new method for the preparation of Zr doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays by electrochemical method. TiO 2 nanotube arrays were prepared by anodization with titanium anode and platinum cathode. Afterwards, the formed TiO 2 nanotube arrays and Pt were used as cathode and anode, respectively, for preparation of Zr/TiO 2 nanotube arrays in the electrolyte of 0.1 M Zr(NO 3) 4 with different voltage and post-calcination process. The nanotube arrays were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and UV–Vis diffusion reflection spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activities of these nanotubes were investigated with Rhodamine B as the model pollutant and the results demonstrated that the photocatalytic efficiency of Zr doped TiO 2 nanotubes was much better than that of TiO 2 nanotubes under UV irradiation. Zr/TiO 2 nanotube arrays doped at 7 V and calcined at 600 °C (denoted as TiO 2-7 V-600) achieved the best photocatalytic efficiency and the most optimal doping ratio was 0.047 (Zr/Ti). TiO 2-7 V-600 could be reused for more than 20 times and maintained good photocatalytic activities.