Abstract
TiO2-based composites have been paid significant attention in the photocatalysis field. The size, crystallinity and nanomorphology of TiO2 materials have an important effect on the photocatalytic efficiency. The synthesis and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based materials have been widely investigated in past decades. Based on our group’s research works on TiO2 materials, this review introduces several methods for the fabrication of TiO2, rare-earth-doped TiO2 and noble-metal-decorated TiO2 particles with different morphologies. We focused on the preparation and the formation mechanism of TiO2-based materials with unique structures including spheres, hollow spheres, porous spheres, hollow porous spheres and urchin-like spheres. The photocatalytical activity of urchin-like TiO2, noble metal nanoparticle-decorated 3D (three-dimensional) urchin-like TiO2 and bimetallic core/shell nanoparticle-decorated urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 are briefly discussed.
Highlights
Based on its unique chemical and physical characteristics, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has attracted much attention in many fields including paint pigments, photocatalysis, solar cells, antibacterial agents, electrical energy storage and some advanced functional materials [1,2,3]
We have developed a synthesis of a kind of 3D urchin-like TiO2 microspheres via a solvothermal m2.2e.t1h.oUdrcwhiinth-Loiukte Hadiedrianrgchaicnayl TsiuOr2faPcatratnictleosr template [30]
TiO2 is an ideal candidate for photocatalysis because of its strong oxidization, harmlessness to surroundings, chemical inactivity, good stability and low cost, the main weakness of TiO2 is the lack of visible light response due to the large band gap
Summary
Based on its unique chemical and physical characteristics, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has attracted much attention in many fields including paint pigments, photocatalysis, solar cells, antibacterial agents, electrical energy storage and some advanced functional materials [1,2,3]. The performance in these applications strongly depends on the microstructure, crystallinity and nanomorphology of TiO2 [1]. A series of TiO2-based materials with different compositions, crystallinity and interior microstructures have been synthesized by different methods [33,34,35,36]. Based on our group’s research work on TiO2 materials, this review is primarily concentrated on the preparation of TiO2 composites with different morphologies and the photocatalytic activities of urchin-like TiO2 composites
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