Photocatalytic degradation of 2-propanol over metal-ion-loaded titanium(IV) oxide under visible light irradiation: Effect of physical properties of nano-crystalline titanium(IV) oxide

摘要

Using the adsorption method, small amounts of rhodium ion (Rh~(3+)) or copper ion (Cu~(2+)) were loaded on nanocrystalline titanium(lV) oxide (TiC>2) with various physical properties prepared by the HyCOM (hydrothermal crystallization in organic media) method and subsequent calcination at various temperatures. In photocatalytic degradation of 2-propanol under visible light irradiation, Rh~(3+)-modified HyCOM-TiO2 samples exhibited higher levels of activity than did Cu~(2+)-modified HyCOM-TiO2 samples and the nitrogen-doped TiO2 sample. The Rh~(3+)-modified HyCOM-TiO2 samples showed a volcano-like tendency with calcination temperature, suggesting that the balance of surface area and crystallinity of TiO2 is important in an Rh~(3+)/TiO2 photocatalyst. Rutile-type TiO2 modified with Cu~(2+) exhibited the highest level of activity among the Cu~(2+)/HyCOM-TiO2 samples.