Investigation on the Light-Driven Formation Mechanism and Photocatalytic Properties of a Porous Amorphous Titanium Dioxide

摘要: A porous amorphous TiO2 has been prepared through a light-driven formation process. Titanium glycolate (TG) synthesized through the solvothermal reaction between titanium (IV) n-butoxide and ethylene glycol is used as a precursor. The irradiation of TG under UV light leads to the formation of the porous amorphous TiO2. The sample is characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N-2 adsorption/desorption. The results of these characterizations reveal the porous and amorphous nature of the sample. The transformation mechanism from TG to amorphous TiO2 under UV light is investigated by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra indicate that the transformation from TG to porous amorphous TiO2 is …