TY - JOUR

T1 - TiO2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibers decorated with anatase nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for methanol oxidation

AU - Kandiel, T.A.

AU - Ahmed, A.Y.

AU - Bahnemann, D.

N1 - Funding information: The authors thank Prof. Dr. Armin Feldhof (University of Hannover) and Dr. Lars Robben (University of Bremen) for the TEM and XRD measurements, respectively. The present work was partially supported by a Mega-grant of the Government of the Russian Federation within the Project “Establishment of the Laboratory Photoactive Nanocomposite Materials” No. 14.Z50.31.0016 .

PY - 2016/12/15

Y1 - 2016/12/15

N2 - TiO 2(B) nanofibres, TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres, TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres decorated with anatase nanoparticles, and thermally highly stable anatase TiO 2 nanorods have been prepared by hydrothermal treatment of TiO 2 P25 in aqueous NaOH solution followed by controlled ion-exchange and thermal annealing processes. The obtained TiO 2 nanomaterials were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption. The photocatalytic activities of the prepared materials were quantified by measuring the photocatalytic methanol oxidation under UV–vis illumination. The results indicated that TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres decorated with anatase nanoparticles (84% anatase and 16% TiO 2(B)) exhibit 3.5-fold higher photocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation than TiO 2(B) nanofibres and anatase TiO 2 nanorods. These nanofibres even showed higher photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 P25. This is explained by a better separation of the photogenerated charge carriers and, most likely, by the facile interfacial charge transfer between TiO 2(B) and anatase structures as confirmed by impedance spectroscopy measurements.

AB - TiO 2(B) nanofibres, TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres, TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres decorated with anatase nanoparticles, and thermally highly stable anatase TiO 2 nanorods have been prepared by hydrothermal treatment of TiO 2 P25 in aqueous NaOH solution followed by controlled ion-exchange and thermal annealing processes. The obtained TiO 2 nanomaterials were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption. The photocatalytic activities of the prepared materials were quantified by measuring the photocatalytic methanol oxidation under UV–vis illumination. The results indicated that TiO 2(B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres decorated with anatase nanoparticles (84% anatase and 16% TiO 2(B)) exhibit 3.5-fold higher photocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation than TiO 2(B) nanofibres and anatase TiO 2 nanorods. These nanofibres even showed higher photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 P25. This is explained by a better separation of the photogenerated charge carriers and, most likely, by the facile interfacial charge transfer between TiO 2(B) and anatase structures as confirmed by impedance spectroscopy measurements.

KW - Flatband potential

KW - Methanol photocatalytic oxidation

KW - Photocatalysis

KW - TiO (B) nanofibers

KW - TiO (B)/anatase heterostructure nanofibres

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84988672868&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.molcata.2016.09.017

DO - 10.1016/j.molcata.2016.09.017

M3 - Article

VL - 425

SP - 55

EP - 60

JO - Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical

JF - Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical

SN - 1381-1169

ER -