Preparation and photocatalytic behavior of TiO2-carbon nanotube hybrid catalyst for acridine dye decomposition

A new kind of hybrid catalyst, TiO2-carbon nanotubes, was prepared via sol-gel method for the first time. Its photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of acridine dye aqueous solution at low concentration was tested. There was no measurable effect on the formation of crystalline phase of TiO2 catalyst with the addition of 10 wt.% carbon nanotubes to TiO2 samples. AFM photograph of TiO2-carbon nanotubes sintered at 300 degrees C showed that the carbon nanotubes were enwrapped by TiO2, which greatly increased the adsorbing ability of the catalyst and was in favor of photocatalytic reaction. Compared with naked TiO2 powder the hybrid catalyst prepared in this way showed high efficiency in the photodecomposition of acridine dye.