Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2013, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (6): 1076-1086.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(12)60569-5

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Preparation and photocatalytic activity of rutile TiO2 and goethitecomposite photocatalysts

XIE Weimiaoa, CHEN Huia, ZHANG Xuanhuia, HU Xianchaoc, LI Guohuaa,c   

  1. a School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, Zhejiang, Chin;
    b State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, Zhejiang, China;
    c Research Center of Analysis and Measurement, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, Zhejiang, China
  • Received:2012-10-21 Revised:2013-03-12 Online:2013-06-07 Published:2013-06-09
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21173193), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (Y4080209, Y406094), the Innovative Demonstration Base for Postgraduate Education of Zhejiang Chemical Engineering and New Material (2004), and the Key Scientific Innovation Group for the Synthesis Technology of Green Chemistry of Zhejiang Province (G1201101001601/001).

Abstract:

Rutile TiO2 and goethite (α-FeOOH) composite photocatalysts were fabricated by hydrolysis and precipitation using titanium tetrachloride as a precursor and α-FeOOH as a support. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that at lower temperature, rutile TiO2 particles coat on the surface of α-FeOOH particles to form rutile TiO2-α-FeOOH composite photocatalyst. At higher temperature, iron ions are doped into the rutile TiO2 lattice to form iron-doped rutile TiO2 tubes; at medium temperature, the sample is a mixture with both composite and iron-doped structures. The photocatalytic activity of the samples is estimated by their ability to degrade methyl orange under irradiation with ultraviolet-visible light (200-800 nm) at ambient temperature. The photocatalytic activities of the samples are improved compared with that of pure rutile TiO2 and α-FeOOH. The sample containing a mixture of composite and iron-doped structures shows the highest photocatalytic activity of that investigated. As a result, the photocatalytic activity of Ti2O could be improved effectively by combining with α-FeOOH or doping iron.

Key words: Titanium dioxide, Goethite, Composite material, Photocatalytic activity, Methyl orange