Preparation and photocatalytic properties of strontium titanate powders via sol–gel process

Abstract

On the basis of our previous work, we developed a new type of catalyst (e.g. photocatalysts) to degradate nitrogen oxides (NO x ). Recently, a series of photocatalysts such as strontium titanate (SrTiO 3) were prepared by sol–gel method, their photocatalytic activities of NO degradation were also studied. The obtained samples were characterized by differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The as-prepared photocatalysts have a perfect perovskite structure, and pure samples can be obtained when the corresponding sol–gel precursors were calcined at 600 °C in muffle. With the temperature increasing, the grain size of SrTiO 3 samples grew large steadily and the crystallinity became better. The optimal synthesis of SrTiO 3 was determined to be 700 °C calcination. Our current experiments indicated that some parameters such as lamp-house, calcinations temperature had a strong effect on the designed photoreaction, the concentration of nitric oxide at 716 mg/m 3, the degradation rate of nitric oxide can increase above 92%.