Synthesis and characterization of carbon doped TiO2 photocatalysts supported on stainless steel mesh by sol-gel method

摘要

This study synthesized pure anatase carbon doped TiO2 photocatalysts supported on a stainlesssteel mesh using a sol-gel solution of 8% polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/dimethylformamide(DMF)/TiCl4. The influence of the pyrolysis temperature and holding time on the morphologicalcharacteristics, particle sizes and surface area of the prepared catalyst was investigated.The prepared catalysts were characterized by several analytical methods: high resolutionscanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-raydiffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The XRD patterns showed that the supported TiO2 nanocrystals are typically anatase,polycrystalline and body-centered tetragonal in structure. The EDS and XPS results complementedone another and confirmed the presence of carbon species in or on the TiO2 layer,and the XPS data suggested the substitution of titanium in TiO2 by carbon. Instead of usingcalcination, PAN pyrolysis was used to control the carbon content, and the mesoporosity wastailored by the applied temperature. The supported TiO2 nanocrystals prepared by pyrolysisat 300, 350, and 400°C for 3 h on a stainless steel mesh were actual supported carbon dopedTiO2 nanocrystals. Thus, PAN/DMF/TiCl4 offers a facile, robust sol-gel related route forpreparing supported carbon doped TiO2 nanocomposites.