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Anatase TiO 2 Mesocrystals: Green Synthesis, In Situ Conversion to Porous Single Crystals, and Self‐Doping Ti 3+ for Enhanced Visible Light Driven Photocatalytic Removal of NO
Author(s) -
Tan Biying,
Zhang Xuehao,
Li Yongjun,
Chen Hao,
Ye Xiaozhou,
Wang Yun,
Ye Jianfeng
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201605294
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , materials science , anatase , doping , in situ , chemical engineering , visible spectrum , porosity , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , catalysis , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , engineering , biochemistry
Mesocrystals are of great interest for a wide range of applications owing to their unique structural features and properties. The realization of well‐defined metal oxide mesocrystals through a facile and green synthetic approach still remains a great challenge. Here, a novel synthesis strategy is reported for the production of spindle‐shaped anatase TiO 2 mesocrystals with a single‐crystal‐like structure, which was simply achieved through the one‐step hydrolysis reaction of TiCl 3 in the green and recyclable media polyethylene glycol (PEG‐400) without any additives. Such anatase mesocrystals were constructed from small nanocrystal subunits (≈1.5–4.5 nm in diameter) and formed through oriented aggregation of the nanocrystals pre‐formed in the reaction system. Owing to their novel structural characteristics, the as‐synthesized anatase mesocrystals could be easily fused in situ into porous single crystals by annealing in air. More significantly, after being annealed in vacuum, Ti 3+ sites could be easily induced in the anatase crystal lattice, resulting in the formation of Ti 3+ self‐doped anatase mesocrystals. The thus‐transformed mesocrystals exhibited enhanced visible light activity towards the photocatalytic oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) to NO 3 − , which could be largely attributed to their intrinsic Ti 3+ self‐doped nature, as well as high crystallinity and high porosity of the mesocrystalline architecture.