Abstract
Microcomposites consisting of TiO2 (or Ce-doped TiO2) and ThO2 (0.5–2% of the TiO2 mass) are produced by sol-gel synthesis of TiO2 in presence of ThO2. X-ray diffraction study reveals the effects of ThO2 (compared to the ThO2-free TiO2, obtained by the same method) on the anatase interplanar distances, crystallites size and phase composition. The photocatalytic tests in presence of the composites under UV irradiation reveal an increase of the Malachite Green degradation rate constant. The effect depends on the Th relative content, temperature of annealing of the catalyst and addition of other doping agent. The highest photocatalytic activity is observed for TiO2 obtained at 550°C and containing 1% ThO2. The composite exhibits activity in dark, also. The presence of Ce4+ ions is not an obligatory requirement for the realization of the ThO2 effect. The reported results suggest that the radioactivity of the Th and/or its decay products is one of the main factors responsible for the increased photocatalytic activity of TiO2.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Y. Miyasaka, PCT Int. Appl., WO 2005102454 A1, 2005.11.03. Database: CAPLUS (in Japan.)
K. Shiraishi, Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho, JP 2004197269 A 2004.07.15. Database CAPLUS (in Japan.)
T. Abe, Jpn Kokai Tokkyo Koho, JP 2000230153 A, 2000.08.22. Database CAPLUS (in Japan.)
L.G. Devi, B.N. Murthy, S.G. Kumar, J. Mol. Catal. A-Chem. 308, 174 (2009)
L.G. Devi, B.N. Murthy, Cent. Eur. J. Chem. 7, 118, (2009)
C.T. Yu, C.F. Chen, Y.T. Chang, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 277, 337 (2010)
T. Togoshi, N. Kono, Jpn Kokai Tokkyo Koho, JP 2000167397 A, 2000.06.20. Database CAPLUS (in Japan)
J. Birkenstock, R.X. Fischer, T. Messner, BRASS 1.0 beta: The Bremen Rietveld Analysis and Structure Suite. Zentrallabor für Kristallographie und Angewandte Materialwissenschaften, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften (University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany, 2003)
A.I. Mikhajlichenlo, E.B. Mikhlin, Y.B. Patrikeev, Rare-Earth Metals (Metallurgiya, Moscow, 1987) 29 (in Russian)
V.R. Choudhary, D.K. Dumbre, Appl. Catal. A-Gen. 375, 252 (2010)
J.L. Callahan, R.K. Grasselli, E.C. Miberger, R.A. Strecher, Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. 6, 134 (1970)
M. Uzunova-Bujnova, R. Todorovska, M. Milanova, R. Kralchevska, D. Todorovsky, Appl. Surf. Sci. 256, 830 (2009)
M. Uzunova-Bujnova, R. Kralchevska, M. Milanova, R. Todorovska, D. Hristov, D. Todorovsky, Catal. Today 151, 14 (2010)
A. I. Martínez, D. R. Acosta, A. A. López, J. Phys-Condens. Mat. 16, S2335 (2004)
M. Uzunova-Bujnova, R. Todorovska, D. Dimitrov, D. Todorovsky, Appl. Surf. Sci. 254, 7296 (2008)
M. Palacio, P. I. Villabrille, G. P. Romanelli, P. G. Var’zquez, C. V. Caćeres, Appl. Catal. A-Gen. 359, 62 (2009)
K. Prasad, A.R. Bally, P.E. Schmid, F. Lévy, J. Benoit, C. Barthou, P. Benalloul, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 36, 5696 (1997)
T. R. N. Kutty, P. Murugaraj, N. S. Gajbhiye, Mater. Lett. 2, 396 (1984)
H. Irie, Y. Watanabe, K. Hashimoto, J. Phys. Chem. B 107, 5483 (2003)
F. Han, V.S.R. Kambala, M. Srinivasan, D. Rajarathnam, R. Naidu, Appl. Catal. A-General 359, 25 (2009)
J. Xu, Y. Ao, D. Fu, Appl. Surf. Sci. 256, 884 (2009)
Y. Xie, C. Yuan, Appl. Catal. B-Environ. 46, 251 (2003)
Y. Xie, Ch. Yuan, X. Li, Mat. Sci. Eng. B 117, 325 (2005)
A. Di Paola, G. Cufalo, M. Addamo, M. Bellardita, R. Campostrini, M. Ischia, R. Ceccato, L. Palmisano, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 317, 366 (2008)
T. Ozawa, M. Iwasaki, H. Tada, T. Akita, K. Tanaka, S. Ito, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 281, 510 (2005)
J.C. Yu, L.Z. Zhang, J.G. Yu, Chem. Mater. 14, 4647 (2002)
K.T. Ranjit, I. Willner, S.H. Bossmann, A.M. Braun, Environ. Sci. Technol. 35, 1544 (2001)
G. Magesh, B. Viswanathan, R.P. Viswanath, T.K. Varadarajan, Indian J.Chem. 48, 480 (2009)
A. Xu, Y. Gao, H. Liu, J. Catal. 207, 151 (2002)
Q.-Z. Yan, X.-T. Su, Z.-Y. Huang, C.-C. Ge, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 26, 915 (2006)
Y. Zhang, H. Xu, Y. Xu, H. Zhang, Y. Wang, J. Photoch. Photobiology A 170, 279 (2005)
C. Graf, R. Ohser-Wiedemann, G. Kreisel, J. Photoch. Photobio. A 188, 226 (2007)
J.M. Coronado, A.J. Maira, A. Martínez-Arias, J.C. Conesa, J. Soria, J. Photoch. Photobio. A 150, 213 (2002)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Kralchevska, R., Milanova, M., Kovacheva, P. et al. Influence of ThO2 on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 . cent.eur.j.chem. 9, 1027–1038 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11532-011-0089-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11532-011-0089-4