Title: Synthesis and characterisation of nanostructured TiO₂/SBA-15 and Ag-TiO₂/SBA-15 mesoporous composites

Authors: Nguyen Van Nghia; Ho Xuan Vinh; Nguyen Tien Trung; Nguyen Phi Hung

Addresses: Department of Physics, Quy Nhon University, 170 An Duong Vuong st., Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh, Vietnam ' Department of Physics, Quy Nhon University, 170 An Duong Vuong st., Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh, Vietnam ' Department of Chemistry, Quy Nhon University, 170 An Duong Vuong st., Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh, Vietnam ' Department of Chemistry, Quy Nhon University, 170 An Duong Vuong st., Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh, Vietnam

Abstract: TiO₂/SBA-15 composite photocatalysts with different TiO₂ : SiO₂ mass ratios of 25 : 75, 40 : 60, 50 : 50 and 75 : 25 have been successfully synthesised using hydrothermal method. Characterisation techniques included X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments. Remarkably, the obtained products have highly ordered hexagonal mesoporous structure with uniform pore sizes and large specific surface areas. The TiO₂ : SiO₂ mass ratio of 50 : 50 as compared to the remaining ones is the most suitable for enhancing photocatalytic activity for the TiO₂/SBA-15 material. It is noteworthy that in all the Ag-doped samples of TiO₂/SBA-15 material (TiO₂/SiO₂=1) the 4 wt % Ag-TiO₂/SBA-15 has the highest photocatalytic ability under sunlight.

Keywords: mesoporous composites; SBA-15; TiO2; titanium dioxide; nanocomposites; photocatalysis; nanotechnology; silver doping; methylene blue.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2015.067905

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2015 Vol.12 No.5/6/7, pp.475 - 484

Published online: 08 Mar 2015 *

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