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Preparation of a cerium/titanium composite with porous structure and enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity using β-cyclodextrin polymer microspheres as the template

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Abstract

A porous Ce/TiO2 composite exhibiting high photocatalytic activity was successfully prepared by a sol–gel method using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) polymer microspheres as the template. The structural and morphological characteristics of the prepared Ce/TiO2 composites were examined by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, low-temperature N2 adsorption–desorption, thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The characterization results revealed that after the calcination of as-prepared Ce/TiO2 at 500 °C, it exhibits a porous structure with a TiO2 anatase phase. The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared samples according to their different molar ratios was evaluated toward the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Compared to commercial TiO2, the porous Ce/TiO2 composite exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation at room temperature, with a photodegradation rate of up to 80% for RhB (5 mg L−1) within 60 min. Addition of β-cyclodextrin polymer microspheres as the template not only renders a porous structure but also inhibits the crystal growth and anatase-to-rutile transformation of TiO2. Doping with Ce was hypothesized to decrease the radiative recombination of the photogenerated electrons and holes in TiO2, extending its light response to the visible region.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Research Innovation Program for College Graduates of Qiqihar University (YJSCX2016-ZD05), the Research Project of Education Ministry of Heilongjiang Province of China (135209217, 135209223) and the Research Project of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China (2015).

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  1. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, China

    Jinlong Li, Shuaiqiang Jia, Guozhe Sui & Lijuan Du

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  1. Jinlong Li
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Correspondence to Jinlong Li.

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Li, J., Jia, S., Sui, G. et al. Preparation of a cerium/titanium composite with porous structure and enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity using β-cyclodextrin polymer microspheres as the template. Chem. Pap. 72, 369–379 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-017-0286-5

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