Synthesis of Nanostructured TiO2 Microparticles with High Surface Area

Hydrothermal reactions represent a simple and efficient method for the preparation of nanostructured TiO2 particles that could be of interest as photocatalysts or catalytic supports. Although the particle size is in the range of 2-5 mu m, the nanostructures composing the particles ensure a large specific surface area with values above 100 m(2)/g. The effects of the different synthesis parameters on the morphology, photocatalytic activity, and stability of the prepared material were studied. The surface morphology of the prepared TiO2 powders was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To further characterize the samples, the specific surface area for different morphologies was measured and the photocatalytic activity of the prepared powders was tested by degrading model pollutants under UV irradiation. The results show that the initial morphology had little effect on the photocatalytic properties. On the other hand, the final calcination temperature significantly increased the degradation rates, making it comparable to that of P25 TiO2 (particle size 20-30 nm).