Hydrothermally Synthesized Titanate Nanostructures: Impact of Heat Treatment on Particle Characteristics and Photocatalytic Properties

The role titanate particle structure plays in governing its characteristics upon calcining and their ensuing influence on photocatalytic performance was investigated. Titanate nanotubes and nano-ribbons were prepared by hydrothermal treatment of Aeroxide P25 and then calcined at temperatures in the range 200-800 degrees C. Heat treatment directly transformed the nanotubes to anatase while nanoribbon transformation to anatase occurred via a TiO2(B) intermediate phase. The nanoribbon structure also provided an increased resistance to sintering, allowing for retention of the original {010} facet of the titanate nanosheets up to 800 degrees C. The changing material properties with calcining were found to influence the capacity of the particles to photodegrade oxalic acid and methanol. The nanotubes provided an optimum photoactivity following calcination at 500 degrees C with this point representing a transition between the relative dominance of crystal phase and surface area on performance. The comparatively smaller initial surface area of the nanoribbons consigned this characteristic to a secondary role in influencing photoactivity with the changes to crystal phase dominating the continually improving performance with calcination up to 800 degrees C. The structural stability imparted by the nanoribbon architecture during calcination, in particular its retention of the {010} facet at temperatures >700 degrees C, advanced its photocatalytic performance compared with the nanotubes. This was especially the case for methanol photooxidation whose primary degradation mechanism relies on hydroxyl radical attack and was facilitated by the {010} facet. The effect was not as pronounced for oxalic acid due to its higher adsorption on TiO2 and therefore greater susceptibility to oxidation by photogenerated holes. This study demonstrates that, apart from modulating sintering effects and changes to crystal phase, the titanate nanostructure influences particle crystallography which can. be beneficial for photocatalytic performance.