Optically transparent, crack-free mesoporous titania and zirconia-doped titania thin film photocatalysts were fabricated by sol-gel technique, using nonionic amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123 as template. The structural and optical properties of these films were characterized using SEM, low-angle XRD, and UV/Vis spectroscopy, hexane adsorption investigation. Band gap energy and the position of flatband potentials were estimated by photoelectrochemical measurements. Enhancing of photocatalytic activity of zirconia-doped films relative to pureTiO2originates from an anodic shift of the valence band edge potential. Catalytic activity of mesoporousTiO2andTiO2/ZrO2(5–50% ofZrO2) films in the processes ofCrVItoCrIIIphotoreduction and 2,4-dinitroaniline photooxidation correlates with crystalline size and growth with increasing of specific surface area of the samples.
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