Effects of the acid pretreated multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the photocatalytic capacity of TiO2/multi-walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites

摘要

This Letter investigates the effect of the acid pretreated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) onnthe photocatalytc activity of TiO2/MWNTs nanocomposites prepared by sol–gel process. Synthesisednnanocomposite materials were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET)nadsorption analysis, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and transmittance electron microscopy (TEM). Thenphotocatalytic capacities of the nanocomposites were determined by the oxidation of NO over thenphotocatalyst under UV light. Results indicate that the nanocomposite’s efficiency of NOx photodegradationnincreases (from 20.5 to 34.3%), as the acid pretreatment time increases from 0 to 4 h. The optimal acidnpretreatment time for the photoactivity of nanocomposite was 4 h. This Letter shows the acid pretreatmentntime plays an important role in determining the physicochemical properties of materials, as it consequentlyninfluences the photocatalytic capacity of TiO2/MWNTs nanocomposites.