Preparation and photocatalytic activity of porous spherical TiO_2 particles comprised of H_3PW_(12)O_(40) in hydrophobic nanopores

摘要

Porous TiO_2 sphere particles were prepared by impregnating titanium (IV) oxysulfate solutions into organic monolith particles, with subsequent calcination in air. The powder possessed pores of meso-order. Its crystalline phase was anatase. Then, 12 Tungsto(VI) phosphoric acid (PW_(12)) was present in the mesopores. The entire surface was modified to be hydrophobic by octadecylphosphonic acid (ODP). Subsequent UV illumination in water removed the PW_(12) and ODP adsorbed onto the outer sphere surface. The obtained spherical TiO_2 particles with hydrophobic acidic nanopores exhibited high photocatalytic performance against the removal of 1,4-dioxane in water. Detailed analysis revealed that this material removed both 1,4-dioxane and ethylene glycol diformate (EGDF), the main intermediate of the photocatalysis of 1,4-dioxane. Results suggest that hydrophobic acidic nanopores enhance adsorption of EGDF in water and play an important role in the overall photocatalytic performance of this system.