TiO₂ nanobelts: Acid corrosion, enhanced photocatalytic activity and CeO₂ deposition

Abstract

TiO 2 nanobelts are synthesized via a hydrothermal procedure. The rough surface can be obtained by sulfuric acid corrosion and TiO 2 nanoparticles were attached on the surface of the nanobelts. The concentration of sulfuric acid and corrosion temperature play important roles on the morphology and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanobelts. The TiO 2 nanoparticles on the nanobelts enhanced the photocatalytic activity. TiO 2 nanobelts etched with sulfuric acid of 0.03 M at 120°C show the highest photocatalytic activity and the degradation rate of methyl orange reaches 84.64% after irradiated by the UV light for 2.5 h. With high concentration of sulfuric acid and corrosion temperature treated, belt-like structure would be broken, and even aggregated together, which weaken the photocatalytic activity. In addition, CeO 2 / TiO 2 nanobelt heterostructure is prepared through the process of chemical coprecipitation. The rough surface provides the nucleation sites for CeO 2 , and the nanoparticles with small size can distribute on the surface of TiO 2 nanobelts.