Synthesis of nanostructured TiO2 particles in room temperature ionic liquid and its photocatalytic performance

Nanostructured TiO2 particles were synthesized by sol-gel method with room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-n-butyl-3 -methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) as a reaction medium. The structure and morphology of TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The as-prepared TiO2 nanoparticles present anatase crystal phase even without being calcined at high temperature, and show better photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methyl orange. The photocatalytic efficiency increases evidently along with increasing the concentration of nanostructure TiO2, and the degradation percent can reach 100% at the optimal catalyst concentration (2.0 g/L). (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.