Superior Thermal Stability and High Photocatalytic Activity of Titanium Dioxide Nanocatalysts in Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

TiO2 anatase, which exhibits the highest catalytic performance, transforms to rutile at 800 K. To inhibit the transition of anatase to rutile, several strategies, such as metal and/or non-metal doping, oxygen enrichment, and surface coating, have been studied, resulting in stable anatase within 773–1273 K. However, highly stable anatase without dopants is still required. Here, a new approach, which involves the synthesis of anatase nanocatalysts in carbon nanotubes (CNTs), was proposed to inhibit the anatase-to-rutile transition. The nanocatalysts exhibited high thermal anatase stability along with a suppression of the crystal growth up to 1200 K. The highly stable anatase in CNTs also exhibited high photocatalytic activity, which was evaluated based on methylene blue decomposition under visible- and UV-light irradiation. This was attributed to the maintenance of the small crystal size of the nanocatalysts in addition to a synergetic effect between the TiO2 nanocatalysts and CNTs.

Enhancing Biogas Production with The Addition of Nano-catalysts

“…They are promising for water splitting, chemical processes, fuel cells, and more. Nanocatalysis research could improve energy generation, environmental cleanup, and chemical synthesis (14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Nanocatalysts can contribute to the production efficiency of biogas and other biofuels.…”