The Effect of Titanium Dioxide Sol Stabilizer on the Properties of Photocatalytic Composite Material

Abstract

This study aimed to establish the effect of a hydrolysis catalyst and a stabilizer of a hydrated titanium dioxide sol, such as nitric acid, in the synthesis of the photocatalytic composite material (PCM) of the SiO2–TiO2 system on its physicochemical characteristics. It was found that among the analyzed two types of photocatalytic composite materials (with and without nitric acid) having a similar chemical composition it is preferable to use material without nitric acid as a photocatalytic additive. It has higher photocatalytic activity, as it contains a significant amount of anatase-modified titanium dioxide with a developed surface, including nanosized particles. In the composition of PCM (without nitric acid), the presence of agglomerates of spherical particles of titanium dioxide is noted. In this case, the surface of diatomite is uniformly coated with titanium compounds. The structure of titanium-containing neoplasms in the composition of FCMN (with nitric acid) is significantly different. It has the form of a film deposited on diatomite particles. As a result, the surface of the PCMN is much less developed.