Characterization and photoactivity of TiO_2 sols prepared with triethylamine

摘要

Using triethylamine as a surface protective agent, a transparent and pale yellowish TiO_2 sol had been prepared at 90 ℃. This method was very different from the traditional methods, which produced titanium dioxide nanoparticles with anatase crystalline structure either at high acid condition or high temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the as-prepared TiO_2 sol nanoparticles with anatase crystalline structure were uniformly distributed, and the average size was 3 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis absorption spectra showed that triethylamine was adsorbed on TiO_2 sol particles surface. FTIR spectroscopy noted that TiO_2 sol particles had the similar spectra with Degussa P25. Photoactivity of the as-prepared TiO_2 sol was studied by investigating the photodegradation of methyl violet in hydrosol reaction system under visible light irradiation.