Fabrication, modification and environmental applications of TiO₂ nanotube arrays (TNTAs) and nanoparticles

Abstract

Among the semiconductors, titanium dioxide has been identified as an effective photocatalyst due to its abundance, low cost, stability, and superior electronic energy band structure. Highly ordered nanotube arrays of titania were produced by anodization and mild sonication. The band gap energy of the titania nanotube arrays was reduced to 2.6 eV by co-doping with Fe, C, N atoms using an electrolyte solution containing K₃Fe(CN)₆. The photoconversion of phenol in a batch photoreactor increased to more than 18% based on the initial concentration of phenol by using a composite nanomaterial consisting of titania nanotube arrays and Pt/ZIF-8 nanoparticles. A layer-by-layer assembly technique for the deposition of titania nanoparticles was developed to fabricate air filters for the degradation of trace amounts of toluene in the air and preparation of superhyrophobic surfaces for oil-water separation and anti-corrosion surfaces.

Keywords

TiO₂ nanotube arrays and nanoparticles / anodization / bandgap modification / layer-by-layer deposition / oil-water separation

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for the financial support of these projects.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg