Core-shell microspherical Ti(1-x)Zr(x)O2 solid solution photocatalysts directly from ultrasonic spray pyrolysis.
A series of Ti(1-x)Zr(x)O(2) solid solutions photocatalysts (x = 0.000, 0.045, 0.090, 0.135, and 0.180) was directly obtained by an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. Compared with previous methods for solid solutions, our preparation was very fast. The resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The characterizations revealed core-shell spherical structures of the resulting solid solutions. We evaluated photocatalytic activities of the solid solutions on degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution under simulated solar light. It was found that Ti(0.91)Zr(0.09)O(2) solid solution exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity among all the as-prepared samples. Its activity was much higher than that of P25. The formation mechanism of core-shell spherical structures was proposed. Moreover, we successfully extended this method to prepare microspheres of ceria and ceria-zirconia solid solutions. We think this general method may be easily scaled up for industrial production of microspherical solid solutions photocatalysts and catalysts.
Huang
Yu
Y
Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
Zheng
Zhi
Z
Ai
Zhihui
Z
Zhang
Lizhi
L
Fan
Xiaoxing
X
Zou
Zhigang
Z
D000327:Adsorption; D002384:Catalysis; D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
C009495:titanium dioxide; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; D009584:Nitrogen; C028541:zirconium oxide; D010100:Oxygen