Controllable One-Step Synthesis of Mixed-Phase TiO2 Nanocrystals with Equivalent Anatase/Rutile Ratio for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

In this study, the novel mixed-phase TiO2 nanocrystals (s-TiO2) with nearly equivalent anatase/rutile ratio were fabricated in the reagent of sec-butanol at the relatively low temperature of 80 degrees C by using a facile one-step condensing reflux method. The photocatalytic water splitting hydrogen production performance of s-TiO2 nanocrystals is close to that of commercial TiO2 (P25), and its photocatalytic degradation performance is about four times that of P25. The energy-level staggered interfaces and surface bridged hydroxyl groups significantly increased due to the anatase/rutile mixed-phase crystal structure and high specific surface area, which might generate the synergistic effect for the improvement of photocatalytic degradation.

Automated summary

In this study, mixed-phase TiO2 nanocrystals with nearly equivalent anatase/rutile ratio were successfully fabricated at a relatively low temperature of 80 degrees C using a facile one-step condensing reflux method. The photocatalytic water splitting hydrogen production performance of these nanocrystals is comparable to that of commercial TiO2 (P25), while their photocatalytic degradation performance is about four times higher than P25, which is attributed to the energy-level staggered interfaces and surface bridged hydroxyl groups caused by the anatase/rutile mixed-phase crystal structure and high specific surface area.