Synthesis of TiO2 Nanotubes and Its Photocatalytic Activity for H2 Evolution

TiO2-derived nanotubes were prepared by hydrothermal treatment in 10 M NaOH(aq) by using commercially available TiO2 (Degussa P-25) as starting material. N2-adsorption/desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) observations of the obtained product revealed the formation of titanate nanotube structure with its diameter of about 10–20 nm. The effect of post-heat-treatment on the phase structure, morphology, specific surface area and photocatalytic activity was investigated. The TiO2 (B) nanotubes could be observed at post-heat-treatment of 300 °C. As post-heat-treatment was increased to 400 °C, the nanotubes began to transform into nanoparticles of anatase phase, producing a bi-crystalline mixture of TiO2 (B) nanotubes and anatase nanoparticles. Moreover, the particles changed into rutile phase through the post-heat-treatment at higher temperatures over 700 °C. The photocatalytic activity of prepared samples was evaluated with photocatalytic H2 evolution. The results showed that the TiO2-derived nanotubes treated at appropriate temperature exhibited high H2 evolution.

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