Synthesis and Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Porous SrTiO₃/TiO₂ Composites

Abstract

Porous photocatalysts have attracted significant attention for their large specific surface area, numerous surface catalytic active sites, and high photocatalytic activity. In this study, porous SrTiO₃/TiO₂ composites were successfully fabricated through a hydrothermal approach utilizing porous TiO₂ as a substrate. The as-synthesized SrTiO₃/TiO₂ composites were then characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) analysis. The results of SEM and BET indicate that such composites have a porous structure and large surface area. Compared to unadulterated TiO₂, SrTiO₃ /TiO₂ composites exhibit higher photocatalytic performance for the photodegradation of rhodamine B under UV-Vis irradiation. Additionally, it was found that when the content of SrTiO₃ reaches 20%, it achieves the maximum photodegradation efficiency of 98.6% under UV-Vis irradiation over 60 min. These results demonstrate that SrTiO₃/TiO₂ composites are a promising material in terms of environmental cleanliness.