The photocatalytic degradation of phenol over titanium dioxide powder prepared by the solvothermal method

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) powder was prepared by the solvothermal method. Titanium isopropoxide (C 12 H 28 O 4 Ti), ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH) and nitric acid (HNO 3 ) were used as the starting materials. The mixed solution was diluted to 0.25 M with ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH) and heated at 100°C-150°C for 3-5 h in a Teflon-lined stainless steel autoclave vessel. TiO 2 powder was characterised with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The photocatalytic degradation of phenol over TiO 2 powder under UV light irradiation was studied. The influence of the amount of TiO 2 powder and irradiation time was investigated. The concentration of phenol was measured using UV-VisThe photocatalytic degradation of phenol over titanium dioxide powder 45 spectrometry (UV-Vis). The optimum condition was obtained at 1.0 g.L -1 for the amount of TiO 2 powder and irradiation time was 120 min. It was found that TiO 2 powder prepared by the solvothermal method at 100°C for 3 h has the best performance photocatalytic for degradation of phenol.